Mind Swap
by Maruno
Summary: Ryoko and Ayeka both discover the one thing every hentai dreams of: they love each other. And this is how they cope. Definitely worth a read, and please R&R. Progress: perfectly finished. The last two chapters are two alternate endings to the story.
1. Rivals and Revelations

Despite not owning Tenchi Muyo! or any of its subsidiaries or sponsors (which I can't recall right now), it hasn't made me in the least bit resentful. Not at all.

Mind Swap, Chapter 1 (The One with the Mind Swap)

"Rivals and Revelations"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            "There. I think it should work now."

            Washu took the small pink control cube out of the complicated looking machine at one end of her lab and gave it to Mihoshi, who began to twist it earnestly.

            "Really, Miss Washu? It works? Oh thank-you thank-you thank-you thank-you thank-you!" Mihoshi jumped for joy.

            "Happy to help. For once it's your equipment that isn't working properly, not your brain. Oh, and call me Little Washu."

            "Okay, Miss Washu."

            "Little."

            "Oh, of course. From now on, I'll call you Little Washu, Miss Washu."

            The little genius sighed. Some things will never change.

            "Now I think it's time to get back to my latest invention."

            "Oh, what are you making now, Miss Washu?"

            Washu hesitated, remembering all the previous encounters between Mihoshi and her experiments. But her current machine wasn't working yet, she reasoned. So I suppose she can't make it any worse.

            "It's an instantaneous matter transplacer," she said, leading the blond klutz over to a hexagonal pad on the floor. A control panel stood nearby. The whole apparatus had a futuristic space trekking feel to it. "It can be used to move any matter instantly from one place to the other. At the moment, this works on non-organic substances, but it can't transport people yet."

            "Why not?" Mihoshi asked.

            Washu led the way to two facing chairs nearby. A similar control panel to the first resided in front of the left-hand chair. "I think it's because a person has three existences. One is the physical body. The second is the spirit, or soul, or life force, or whatever you call it. It is the essence of the being, the thing that makes the body live. The third is the mind. The body cannot exist without the mind. Unfortunately, most peoples' minds have a tendency to stay in one place. That's why most people are happy to not be promoted in their jobs. Their minds don't want them to move. This makes transporting them a little difficult. This device here," she gestured towards the two chairs, "is a prototypical experiment to try and make a person's mind move to a desired destination. If it works, I'll then be able to transport people as well. Questions?"

            Mihoshi raised her hand. "I have a question. How does that chair thingy work?"

            "Well, firstly I create a copy of me. I then sit in this chair with the control panel, while my copy sits in the other chair. I then use the control panel to try and get us to switch minds. I'll be able to tell if it's worked, because I'll be looking at myself, only I will be in my copy's body, with it's point of perspective."

            "Oh right. I have another question. What's all this for?"

            Washu face-faulted.

---------------

            Meanwhile, in the dimension affectionately referred to as reality, the Masaki household was undergoing another makeover. Ryoko and Ayeka were fighting again. Tenchi had wisely retreated to his room, and Sasami was busy in the kitchen. She wasn't scared of the noises outside. As angry as the fighters were, they knew better than to destroy the kitchen. They still needed to eat, after all.

            Mihoshi stepped out of Washu's lab, where Ryoko's energy sword nearly ran her through. She didn't jump back, however; she was too pleased with her working control cube to notice. She wandered into the kitchen.

            "Everyone, dinner's nearly ready," called Sasami.

            "Food," Ryoko said. "My third favourite thing. After sleeping and annoying you of course, Miss Priss." With that, she faded her energy sword and floated through into the kitchen.

            "Humph!" Ayeka snorted. "I swear that woman has a shorter attention span than a carrot."

            As if summoned by the word, Ryo-ohki ran into the house to Ayeka with a big "Miyaa!"

            "Oh, hello, Ryo-ohki. Come along, dinner's ready." She proceeded towards the kitchen, Ryo-ohki tailing her, and sat at her usual place at the table.

            "Can someone go and tell Washu and Tenchi that dinner's ready please? I don't think they heard me." Sasami said.

            "I'll get Tenchi," Ryoko said. "At least I've got a chance of getting Tenchi. Unlike a certain flat-chested princess I could mention."

            "I am not flat-chested!" Ayeka shouted. "I'm just late in developing, that's all!"

            "Guys, don't start up another fight please. Just go get Tenchi for dinner." Sasami's voice diffused the potential fight.

            "Okay, Sasami," Ryoko said. "Hey, whoever gets there last gets him second."

With that she faded out. Ayeka ran out of the kitchen and quickly up the stairs, to the slightly muffled sound of Tenchi yelling "Ryoko, stop that!".

            "Mihoshi, can you go and get Washu? It's just that I'm busy here at the moment." Sasami said.

            "Sure! Oh I know! I'll use my control cube to get her!" Mihoshi gave the pink cube a few twists and vanished.

---------------

            She reappeared in Washu's lab. Ten feet above the floor. She fell, flailing her arms wildly. Her hands smashed into Washu's mind displacer control panel, inputting commands accidentally. She landed on the seat, and then promptly dropped onto the floor.

            "AAAHHH! What have you done!" Washu yelled. "My experiment!"

            She rushed over and started tapping buttons furiously. Mihoshi got up, slightly bruised.

            "I don't think my control cube is fully fixed, Miss Washu," she said.

            "The cube works perfectly, it's just the user that's broken!" Washu said angrily. "And now this! You aimed the targeting scanners somewhere else. I severely hope that no-one was there, and that you didn't manage to get it to work."

            "I'm sorry, Miss Washu. But look on the bright side. Dinner's ready!"

---------------

            Meanwhile, Ayeka and Ryoko were facing each other off in the upstairs corridor. Tenchi was watching from behind the safety of a door, a tedious look on his face.

            "Girls, I've told you before," Tenchi tried reasoning with them; he had tried to do so before, but maybe the ninety-second time's a charm. "There's really no point in fighting over me. Please stop it."

            "We're not just fighting over you," Ryoko said, glaring at Ayeka, who glared straight back. "It's the principal of the thing."

            "I wasn't aware there was a principle," Ayeka said smoothly. "Pray tell me what it is."

            "It's the principle that it's just good fun fighting you," Ryoko said. "And besides, what stopped our last fight? As I recall, I had my blade to your neck and you were squirming for your life."

            "Hardly. If anything, you were losing. And it was dinner that stopped our last fight."

            "Of course! Dinner! I knew there was something missing."

            With that, Ryoko powered down and went for the stairs. But when she got to the top step, she experienced a sudden dizzying moment. Everything around her merged into itself, and she completely lost her bearings. Then it was all over, but the feeling of displacement remained. She stepped forwards, missed the step and proceeded to fall down the stairs. She caught herself halfway down and floated there, wondering what had happened to her. She dismissed it quickly, and proceeded to the kitchen.

            Ayeka had also had a similar experience. She had just powered down when a powerful wave of nausea came over her. She stumbled, but regained her posture. It was probably just a side effect from one of Washu's experiments. They had a habit of doing strange things. She too dismissed it and went downstairs.

Tenchi was concerned, and said so as he sat down at the table.

            "Concerned?" Ryoko said in the smoothest and most child-like voice she had. "About little old me?"

            "Yes, well," Ayeka said sharply. "It was probably just one of Washu's experiments backfiring. You know how they can be."

            "Yes, you're probably right," Tenchi nodded. "Where is Washu anyway?"

            "Oh, she had to work on some project I fell on," said Mihoshi.

            "Fair enough."

---------------

            Washu, on the other hand, wasn't quite as casual about it. She had determined where the targeting scanners had been refocused to, and had also discovered that purely by chance Mihoshi had tapped in the correct command to activate a time-delayed mind swap. Now Washu was worried if anyone had been in the way of the scanners when that had happened.

            Washu, a habitual non-sleeper, especially when several of her experiments needed tending to, suddenly realised that she was immensely tired. Since there didn't seem to be anything immediately requiring her attention, she decided to have a nap. She summoned her trans-dimensional keyboard, tapped a few buttons, and collapsed and fell asleep on the soft double bed that had appeared from nowhere. She would deal with the transplacer in the morning.

---------------

            It was now nighttime. After the usual routine of calling goodnight and prising Ryoko off Tenchi, everyone lay in bed trying to get to sleep. One by one, they fell unconscious, and slipped into the realm of the night.

---------------

            Ayeka was... somewhere. All around her was white, seeming to stretch on infinitely. She looked around, trying to realise where she was. Nothing else existed here, only her. She span around several times, but her view seemed not to change. Then suddenly, a figure entered her vision. She immediately focussed on it, trying to determine who or what it was, but the glare around it hurt her eyes. She closed her eyes and looked away.

            The next thing she knew, she felt herself rising upwards. She opened her eyes again, to notice that another figure was dropping away beneath her. This one she recognised with a shock. It was herself. She was outside her own body.

            Before she could recover from this shock, she noticed that she, that is, not her body drifting away, now out of sight, but her essence was moving towards the first figure. A hint of recognition sparked. And then it was more than a spark. It was Ryoko.

            Why was Ryoko in her dream? She had dreamt of her before, but in very different situations. This dream was not at all like the others.

            She was just stood still, almost seeming lifeless. Ayeka drifted over to her by some unseen force, getting closer and closer, until it almost seemed like she was inside her.

---------------

            Ryoko tossed and turned. She was having a nightmare. An indescribable demonic creature was slashing at her, tearing her up and pulling out her insides. Ryoko wasn't able to fight back, although she felt no pain. At the limit of her periphery she thought she could sense a Jurian standing behind her.

            She suddenly surged forwards with the creature's hand. She tried to struggle, but she felt a strange feeling, as if she was outside of herself. It was as if her conscience was a physical thing, which the creature had pulled out, and was now holding in its hand. It pulled her back and threw her behind her body towards the Jurian. It was someone familiar. It was female, and someone for whom she had great feelings for, although she didn't herself know whether these feelings were good or bad. It was Ayeka.

---------------

            It was morning. The sun was an hour into the sky and still advancing bravely. It was around now that Ryoko usually jumps Tenchi in bed.

            Ryoko woke up. It was automatic now; she had done this so many times before. She got out from under her duvet and straightened her nightwear from a night of tossing and turning.

            Nightwear?

            Ryoko usually wore nothing to sleep. She found wearing clothes while sleeping was too restricting. And yet here she was, wearing nightwear of a seemingly Jurian nature. She looked around. Sasami's bed was vacant, and made. She always woke up early to prepare breakfast.

            Why was she in Ayeka's room? Had she been sleep-drifting? She had never done so before. She looked down.

            She wasn't just in Ayeka's room. She was in Ayeka.

---------------

            Ayeka meanwhile had also woken up early. She was planning on cleaning the shrine for Tenchi, thus saving him a chore. She stretched, and noticed a breeze move across her bare body from an open window.

            Only it wasn't her bare body. She knew of only one person who had a body like that. Ryoko.

---------------

            Their first instinct was to find each other. The next was to find Washu. She had obviously done this to them.

            They met each other in the Onsen, the extra-dimensional bath Washu had created for the girls.

            "Ryoko," she said. "I mean, Ayeka. No, Ryoko."

            "I guess we had better decide what to call each other before we do anything else," Ryoko in Ayeka's body said.

            "I agree," the other said. "I'm Ayeka, trapped in your, Ryoko's, body. I suppose I should be called Ayeka."

            "Then I'm Ryoko," Ryoko said.

            They both slipped into the water.

            "Wait," Ayeka said. "What if we're stuck like this for a while? The others will be calling us each other."

            "That's true. We'll just have to tell them. Or make Washu tell them. After all, this must be her fault."

            "Indeed it is. But this situation is embarrassing. What about if we don't tell them until we know how long this change is going to last."

            "Fair enough. So between us two, we are who we are, not who we're in. For the others, it's vice versa."

            Ayeka had to think about this.

            "Yes," she agreed. "That's right."

            They sat and soaked for a few minutes.

            "After this, we need to tell Washu what's happened," Ayeka said. "She's the only one that could be able to help us."

            "True. But look on the bright side. It's not all bad."

            "Oh? Why is that?"

            Ryoko grinned. "Now I have first hand experience of how flat you are."

            "Hmph!" Ayeka crossed her arms. "We need some ground rules. You are not to blemish my body. It is pure, and for Tenchi only, not for the likes of you."

            "Alright. Well the same goes here. No spoiling my temple. It's too beautiful for a priss like you to mess up."

            "Deal." Ayeka paused. "Wait a minute, your body's not that beautiful. That's your deluded mind thinking."

            "Yes, but you're forgetting that this deluded mind is controlling your body. You should be careful what you say to yourself, otherwise you could get upset and cut your hair really short."

            "You wouldn't."

            "Wanna try me and see?"

            "Hmph!" Ayeka refocused her attention on washing Ryoko's body.

---------------

            Meanwhile, Washu had just woken up. She felt fully refreshed after the long sleep she had had. She had placed a temporal inhibitor around herself, which had the effect of letting her sleep for nearly a whole day, whilst only 9 hours had passed within the real world. She got out of bed and summoned her console. She was still groggy, and so it took her a while to remember what she had been doing.

            Washu snapped awake. The transplacer. Mihoshi. The targeting scanners. She remembered now. If she could find out if anyone was in the targeted area at the time of activation, namely, when Mihoshi fell on it, she might be able to do something. Perhaps the residual extraspace fractal imager would be of use. But that would take some time to charge. Meanwhile, she could continue work on the energy regulator she was designing for Ryoko. She was actually nearly finished with it. She should probably summon Ryoko and get her to try it out.

            She closed her eyes. "Ryoko, can I see you for a minute?" she thought. "I'm in the lab."

            "Yeah, sure," came the reply. "Just a sec."

            Washu went back to her console.

---------------

            "Ayeka, shall we go see Washu now?" Ryoko said. "She wants to see me anyway."

            "Very well. The sooner I'm out of this body the better. I can't stand to think of where it's been."

            "Very nice," Ryoko said. "Let's go."

            They stepped out of the Onsen and went towards Washu's lab. Sasami heard they were there and went to see them.

            "Good morning, Ayeka, Ryoko," the little princess said. "What're you doing up so early?"

            "Good morning, Sasami," Ayeka said. "I was just, umm..." She had just remembered that she was still in Ryoko's body, and as such saying that she was going to do a chore was suspicious.

            "Umm, Ryoko was just going to wake Tenchi up, weren't you, Ryoko?" Ryoko asked her.

            "Oh, yes, I was," Ayeka started. "And Ayeka was just going to sweep up the shrine for Tenchi. Isn't that right?"

            Ryoko frowned. "Sweep up? Me?" She looked at Sasami. "Oh, of course, yes. Sweep up. That's it. Umm, Sasami? Why are you smiling?"

            "Oh, it's just that you know what each other is doing," Sasami said. "It makes it seem like you're friends."

            "Friends? No way!" They said in unison.

            "No, umm, we've just been talking a bit, that's all," Ayeka said.

            "Okay, well, breakfast is in ten minutes. It's French pancakes today. I saw them in one of the foreign cookbooks I have."

            "That sounds great, Sasami," Ryoko said. "We just have something to take care of first. Ryoko?"

            "Hmm? Oh, yes. Excuse us."

            "Okay."

---------------

            There was a banging at the door.

            "It's open!" Washu called.

            The door opened to reveal Ayeka and Ryoko.

            "Ryoko, great, come here. I have something for you. Can I help you, Ayeka?"

            "Yes, you can help me," Ayeka said. "You can tell us what you did to us."

            "Ryoko? I don't understand." Washu was puzzled. From her point of view, Ryoko answered her offer of help.

            "It must be you. You're always doing something like this," Ryoko said.

            "Ayeka? What are you two up to?"

            "Look, when we woke up, we were each other," Ayeka said.

            "Put us back now, Washu," Ryoko said.

            "Wait, you two are each other? How did that...? Oh!" Washu realised. "I get it now. You two have been victims, I mean, subjected to my transplacer. It swaps people's minds around. It's a part of a bigger experiment."

            "Yes, well, I don't care," Ryoko said. "Change us back now."

            "I'm afraid I can't."

            "WHAT!?" they both exclaimed.

            "Your minds haven't been fused into your new bodies yet. They need to be properly combined before I can separate them again. Sorry."

            "Well, how long will that take?" Ayeka asked.

            "I'm not sure," Washu admitted. "At the most it will take a week, but it could happen any time between now and then."

            "A WEEK!?" they both shouted.

            Washu winced at the raised voices. "Yes, up to a week. And please don't shout. I'm right here."

            "How are we going to survive as each other for a week?" Ryoko asked.

            "We'll just have to try our best," Ayeka answered.

---------------

            Ryoko and Ayeka emerged from Washu's lab, only to be greeted by Tenchi.

            "Good morning, girls," Tenchi said.

            Ryoko leapt forwards and grabbed hold of Tenchi, hugging him tightly. "Tenchi, how could you sleep last night knowing I was so alone? I was ever so lonely without you, you know," she said, stroking his chest with her finger.

            "Umm, Miss Ayeka? What are you doing?" Tenchi asked, suddenly very nervous.

            "Ayeka? But, oh..." Ryoko said, letting go of Tenchi. "I'm sorry, um, Lord Tenchi. I don't know who or what got into me." She looked over at Ayeka.

            "I think I've got an idea," Ayeka replied coldly.

            "Please don't start fighting yet again," Tenchi groaned. "It's only eight in the morning. Can you at least save it until after breakfast?"

            "I know I'll try, but I'm not too sure about that demon girl over there," Ayeka said, pointing at Ryoko.

            "What did you call me?" Ryoko snarled. Tenchi took the opportunity to make a hasty retreat to the kitchen.

            "You heard me, devil woman," Ayeka replied. She cocked her head slightly, calling her spirit logs. But nothing came. "Huh?"

            "We're in each other's bodies, remember?" Ryoko said. "And since I can't call your puny logs, now you can't."

            "Yes, but you don't know how to call them," Ayeka retorted. "You can't use them against me." She thought. "Actually, come to think of it, neither of us can use any of our powers, nor each others. We just don't know how."

            "Yeah, you're right," Ryoko said. "I guess this means we can't fight for a while."

            "A week."

            They both sighed.

            "I sure hope this refusing thing happens quickly," Ryoko said.

            "Me too," Ayeka agreed. "I don't know how long I can last without beating you in a fight."

            "Beating me? That's a laugh. You couldn't beat a punching bag."

            "Do you want to see what I can beat?" Ayeka threatened.

---------------

            And so they whiled away the next hour playing chess. Neither of them was very good, though, so each game ended in stalemate. Since that diversion was no good, they sat in the main room, thinking quietly.

            Ayeka's thoughts went something like this: I do hope Ryoko doesn't try anything foolish. Surely she knows how important my body is to me? She wouldn't be stupid enough to damage it, would she? What am I thinking? My body's in serious danger.

            Ryoko's thoughts went something like this: Tenchi has to like at least one of us. If I approach him as Ayeka and he doesn't go for her, I'll know he likes me. If, however, he does go for Ayeka, at least I'll be in her body. I'll be the first one to know what it's like to be with Tenchi.

            Ryoko stood up and stood there for a second, until she realised that she couldn't phase away, then walked out. Ayeka watched as she went out.

            What's she up to? wondered Ayeka.

---------------

            At this time Tenchi was outside, tending to his small garden. It was a break from the carrot fields, rolling endlessly away from him into the distance. Of course, they needed to be this big. Ryo-Ohki needed all the carrots.

            As such, Tenchi found himself wondering yet again why Ryo-Ohki needed carrots at all, as apparently she could survive without eating anything ever, when Ryoko tapped him on his back. Tenchi jumped and nearly fell onto a small patch of purple flowers, described by Ayeka as Royal Teardrops. He turned around to face his company.

            "Miss Ayeka," Tenchi stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

            "I just wanted to see how you were doing, Tenchi," Ryoko replied. Hehe, she thought. I make a great royal pain, I mean, princess.

            "Oh," Tenchi replied. "I'm fine. How are you today?"

            "I'm great," Ryoko replied. "Thanks for asking."

            "That's always good to know," Tenchi replied.

            There was an awkward silence.

            "You and Ryoko seem to be getting on well today," Tenchi said.

            "What makes you say that?"

            "I haven't heard any explosions or seen any smoke yet. That means you two aren't fighting."

            "We've just been playing chess. Not much of a challenge, really. Ryoko can't play at all."

            "Well, I'd love to have a game with you sometime, if you want."

            "I'll see what I can do."

            "Anyway, I'm glad that you two aren't fighting. It's really nice to see you get along and be friends."

            "Friends?" Ryoko said. "We're not friends."

            "If you say so, Miss Ayeka. But think about it, will you? I'm sure everyone would be much happier if we didn't have to constantly watch out for explosions."

            There was another silence.

            "Was there something else you wanted, Miss Ayeka?" Tenchi asked.

            "Well, yes," Ryoko replied. "I wanted to ask you who you loved. Me or Ayeka?"

            "But you are Ayeka," Tenchi said.

            "Oh yeah. Me or Ryoko, then."

            "Ayeka, are you alright?"

            "What makes you say that, Tenchi?"

            "Well, for one, you always called me Lord Tenchi. And you never asked me who I actually loved before. Excuse me, but I don't think you're acting like yourself lately."

            That's probably because I'm not myself, Ryoko thought.

            "In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were acting a lot like Ryoko," Tenchi said.

            You don't know the half of it.

            "Anyway, I've got to be going now," Tenchi said. "I've got some homework to do."

            "Okay, see ya, Tenchi, I mean, goodbye, Lord Tenchi," Ryoko said. Boy that was so obvious, she thought. It's a good thing Tenchi's so gullible.

            Tenchi went into the house and went to his room. Ryoko just stayed in the garden for a while.

            Wait, Ryoko thought. "He never answered my question."

---------------

            Ayeka knocked at Tenchi's door. She had made a drink for him.

            "Lord Tenchi," she called. "May I come in? I've made a drink for you."

            Tenchi opened the sliding door. "Ryoko?"

            Ayeka suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be Ryoko. "I've got a drink for you, Tenchi. I made it myself."

            "Thank you very much, Ryoko," Tenchi said, accepting the drink. He hesitantly took a sip, and was surprised to find that it wasn't like the last drink Ryoko had made for him. In fact, it tasted a lot like the drinks Ayeka made for him. But Tenchi just dismissed this. "Do you want to come in?"

            "Very well," Ayeka replied. She went in and sat on his bed. Tenchi went back to his desk.

            "I've just been talking with Ayeka," Tenchi said. "It's good to see that you're not fighting constantly any more."

            "Well, we don't really have a choice in the matter," Ayeka said.

            "Why is that?" Tenchi asked.

            Ayeka jerked to attention. "Umm, well, Washu has removed my powers for the moment, and Lady Ayeka has very kindly agreed not to try and fight me. That's why we're not fighting."

            "That's kind of her," Tenchi said. "But she did say that you were no competition as chess."

            "Well, to tell you the truth, neither of us are that good at it. We don't know the correct way to play Earth chess."

            "Tell me about it," Tenchi laughed. "Even I'm not entirely sure what to do."

            Ayeka giggled. "I could teach you how to play Juraian chess if you like. The figures are different from this planet's, and the movement strategies are also different, but as far as I can tell the rules are the same."

            "You know Juraian chess? Well, I'd be happy to learn. Maybe I could make some Juraian pieces. I'm quite good at that kind of thing."

            "So how are you, Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka asked.

            "Lord Tenchi?" Tenchi said. "Are you acting strange as well?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "Well, Ayeka was acting a lot like you downstairs, and now you're saying things Ayeka usually says. Are you alright?"

            "Oh, I'm fine," Ayeka replied quickly. "You know what? I think it's because of that dizzy moment we had last night. But I think I'm fine now."

            "Good," Tenchi replied. "You know I'm just looking out for you."

            "I appreciate that, Tenchi."

            There was a silence.

            "You know, I like it when you're like this," Tenchi said. "Not as violent or unpredictable as usual."

            "You mean, more like Ayeka?" Ayeka asked.

            "Well, I guess so," Tenchi replied nervously.

            Ayeka relaxed backwards. So he does prefer me, she thought. He likes me more than Ryoko.

            "Before you say anything, it doesn't mean that I like her more than you," Tenchi said hastily. "I have said many times that I don't love either of you more than the other."

            "Oh."

            "Actually Ryoko, I'm sorry, but I really need to get this work done," Tenchi said.

            "Oh, of course," Ayeka said. She stood up.

            "It was nice talking to you, though," Tenchi said.

            "For me as well." Ayeka walked out.

---------------

            Later, while Ryoko and Ayeka were watching television, Washu came out of her lab. Her eyebrows were half gone, and her bushy red hair was smoking slightly, but that didn't seem to dissuade her. She walked up to the two on the sofa.

            "Okay, you two, do you wanna hear the good news or the bad news?" she asked.

            "What is it?" Ryoko asked.

            "Well, the good news is that your minds have properly fused with your new bodies."

            "Great!" they both exclaimed.

            "When can we swap back?" Ayeka asked.

            "That's the bad news. Since Mihoshi fell on the transplacer, I've been trying to fix it, but it's no use. It's damaged beyond repair. I'm gonna have to make a whole other unit."

            "How long will that take?" Ryoko asked.

            "Well, the prototype took three months..."

            "Three months!"

            "The prototype took three months," Washu repeated. "Since I know what I'm doing now, the new unit should be ready in about two and a half months."

            "What!"

            "What can I say? I'm very efficient."

            "You mean to tell me that I'm going to be trapped in her body for another two months?" Ryoko asked.

            "Don't forget the half," Washu added.

            "Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Ayeka asked.

            "There is one thing," Washu said. "But you're probably not going to like it."

            "What?"

            "Anything."

            "You're going to have to kiss."

            "You mean, each other?" Ryoko exclaimed.

            "On the lips," Washu said.

            "Are you sure about that?" Ayeka asked.

            "Hey, I don't make the rules," Washu said. "I just ignore them. I have a small device that can do this kind of thing in my lab, but it does only work with a prolonged epidermal contact."

            "Can't we just hold hands?"

            "No. Actually, for best results, you're going to have to use your tongues."

            "That's disgusting!"

            "Hey, if you don't like it, just imagine you're kissing Tenchi," Washu suggested.

            "Yes, but Tenchi doesn't have my teeth," Ryoko said. "The fangs, remember? I just don't like the idea of kissing myself."

            "Are you sure?" Ayeka asked. "I know you can make copies of yourself. What's to stop you from making one late at night and enjoying yourself?"

            "What does that mean?" Ryoko snarled.

            "Ladies, whenever you're ready," Washu said. "I'll be in my lab."

---------------

            "Ugh, I'll never be ready for this," Ayeka said. She sat on a chair facing Ryoko, who was sitting similarly. A small length of wire was wrapped round their left wrists, and connected to each other. Judging from Ryoko's expression, she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea either.

            "Well, if you're not ready, might I suggest you just wait those couple of months?" Washu said. "Now, I've activated the device. All you have to do is sustain a prolonged kiss."

            "How prolonged?"

            "Fifty-seven minutes," Washu said. "That's with tongues. Actually, that's based on if you go at it full throttle, with all the action and stimulation that goes along with it."

            "AN HOUR!" they both exclaimed.

            "And most of all," Washu continued. "It's based on if you actually enjoy it."

            "How could I enjoy kissing her for an hour?" they both asked.

            "Well, if you don't want to do that, you could always just touch lips," Washu said.

            "How long would it take if we did that then?" Ryoko asked.

            "About seven hours."

            Ryoko and Ayeka looked at each other, their expressions frozen to hide their true thoughts about the impending kiss.

            "Shouldn't we just have a practise first?" Ryoko asked. "Not that I'm that way, because I certainly am not," she added firmly. "But should we just try first, you know, you see what we can stand?"

            "I guess it's possible," Ayeka said slowly. She turned to Washu, who was watching this with interest, a small smirk on her face. "Miss Washu, could you unhook this machine for a minute? You know, so we could..."

            "Experiment?" Washu finished. "Sure. I've never said no to a bit of experimenting, and I'm glad to see that you're taking some interest in what I do for a hobby."

            "What, kissing other women?" Ryoko said sharply.

            "Yes, actually."

            Ryoko did a double take, and then did another three for good measure.

            "You, Washu?" Ayeka asked.

            "No," Washu laughed. "I just wanted to see how you'd react. Anyway, go whenever you're ready."

            "Do you think you could go away while we discuss this?" Ayeka asked.

            "Oh, sure," Washu said. "I'm gone. Just call me when you're ready."

            Washu walked out of her lab. The princess and the pirate looked at each other.

            "So, about this 'full throttle' thing..." Ryoko started.

            "It seems it's the only way this is going to work," Ayeka replied.

            "Should we, you know, try it?"

            "I think we should."

            They leaned forwards, but Ayeka pulled back sharply.

            "Wait," she said. "Didn't Washu say that this all depends on us actually enjoying the kiss? Didn't she say it would only take an hour if we liked kissing each other?"

            "Yes, she did."

            They sat in silence for a few seconds.

            "Well, do you think it's going to take an hour?" Ryoko asked.

            "I couldn't say," Ayeka said, turning away quickly.

            "Me neither," Ryoko said.

            There was another pause, while the women looked at everything in the room except each other.

            "I suppose, maybe, it could take just an hour," Ryoko ventured.

            Ayeka directed her gaze at her.

            "Really? Does that mean that you're a, you know, of that persuasion?"

            "I said before, no," Ryoko snapped.

            "Oh. I thought, maybe you were."

            "Hey, as much as I hate to admit it, it's not an impossibility," Ryoko said.

            "So you could be?"

            "Why are you on about it so much, anyway? Are YOU one?"

            "Me? I am the First Crown Princess of Jurai. Do you really think I would be like that?"

            "Well, judging from the way you're going on about it, yes."

            "Oh." Somehow, Ayeka didn't seem as bothered by that answer as she should have been. Ryoko picked up on this.

            "Well, that was a heartfelt response. You know, I'm beginning to think you are."

            "How could you say that?" Ayeka asked shocked.

            "Well, you're acting like one of those people who is just trying to hide the fact that they are."

            "I am?"

            "Do you always try to avoid answering by asking another question?"

            "I don't always do that, do I?"

            "Yes you do. You doing it right now."

            "Well, why are you so bothered, unless you're one too?"

            "Yet another question," Ryoko exclaimed. "You really don't want to admit it, do you?"

            "You're the one avoiding the topic now. You are one of those people, aren't you?"

            "Aren't you?"

            Yet another pause. The two women were busily trying to decide if the other was a, you know, of that persuasion.

            Ryoko came to a conclusion.

            "You are one, aren't you?"

            "What? How dare you insult me like that?"

            "Look, would it make it easier if I said I was?"

            "You are?"

            Ryoko hesitated. She'd walked into such an obvious trap. It was either admit or deny. Yes or no. Heads or tails.

            Ryoko just turned her head and looked around the lab, trying to decide what to say.

            "I see," Ayeka said slowly. "You are."

            Ryoko would have jerked her head back, but she had spotted something. She stood up and went to investigate.

            "All this time I thought you were after Tenchi," Ayeka said, not noticing her absence. "But it seems that you weren't after him so much as trying to distance me from him, so that I would be free..." she drifted off. "Ryoko? What are you doing?"

            "Hey, princess, guess what?" Ryoko called.

            "What?" Ayeka got up and walked over to her.

            "I think someone's been doing a spot of creative story telling," Ryoko said. "Look what I've found."

---------------

            Washu came back in. She approached the two women, sitting opposite each other.

            "Decided yet?" she asked.

            "Oh yes," Ryoko said. "We've had a bit of a talk, and we've decided to go all out."

            "Really?" Washu was stunned.

            "Oh yes," Ayeka said. "We've decided it's the only way to realise our love for each other."

            "Love?" Washu was completely unready for this. Who would be?

            "That's right," Ryoko said. "And maybe afterwards, would you like to join us for a lot of fun? Maybe we could use that table you reserve for Tenchi. You know, the one with all those tentacles?"

            "Ryoko," Ayeka hissed, nudging her. "That's going a bit too far, even for this."

            "That's right. Sorry, Ayeka," Ryoko said. "That's our little secret. But is it alright if I tell her about the big announcement later?"

            "What announcement?" Ayeka asked.

            "You know, our engagement," Ryoko said. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you weren't kidding when you asked me to marry you, were you? Because if you were I'll be ever so sad."

            "Now you're really overacting," Ayeka whispered.

            Washu was just standing there. She had no idea how to react.

            "Anyway, Washu? Can you get started? We want to be back in our own bodies, so we can truly enjoy ourselves."

            Ryoko leaned over and turned the machine on. The wires had been replaced on their wrists earlier.

            "Pucker up, lover," Ryoko said.

            Ayeka was now blushing furiously, as they leaned forwards to kiss.

            Washu rushed forwards and turned off the machine. The other two looked up at her.

            "What'd you do that for, Washu?" Ryoko asked.

            "Yes. I was looking forward to that," Ayeka said.

            "Look, I don't know what happened, but I was totally not expecting this," Washu said. "I'm afraid I lied to you. The transplacer is fixed. It's over there," she said, pointing towards the machine Ryoko was looking at earlier. "I didn't mean for anything like this to happen. I just wanted to see how you'd react under such circumstances. I'm sorry."

            "Yeah, so are we," Ryoko said.

            "Huh?"

            "We're afraid that we lied to you too," Ayeka said. "We found out about the machine while you were out. We were just pretending that we loved each other to see how you'd react."

            "Oh. So you're not lesbians?"

            "Oh no," Ryoko said.

            "And you aren't getting married?"

            "No," Ayeka replied.

            "And you don't want to use my table and invite me to join in?"

            "Of course not," Ryoko said. "You're only eleven. Why would you ever think that we'd want to invite you to our games?"

            "Well, it was just such a shock," Washu said. "I'm very relieved that you're not. I was just expecting you to grin and bear the kiss. Even so, I wasn't going to let you actually do so."

            "Anyway, can we do the real thing now?" Ayeka asked. "I want my body back."

---------------

            The resorting of the minds was successful. Washu had taken the liberty of dismantling the device afterwards, to prevent any more accidents, and placed the computer files relevant to it in a secure annex.

            And now it was late in the evening. So everyone went to bed.

---------------

            The next day, maybe about twelve noon, Ryoko and Ayeka, glad to be back in their proper bodies, were sitting on the sofa. Unluckily, Tenchi was between them, so Ryoko was busy cuddling up to him while Ayeka was shouting through Tenchi's ears at her. Eventually, after about two minutes of this Tenchi had had enough, and so went into the kitchen for a drink. The others weren't there, as Washu was in her lab, busy destroying evidence of her latest experiment, Sasami was making lunch and Mihoshi was out on patrol, so Ayeka and Ryoko were left alone. They didn't talk to each other for a minute. Ryoko looked up.

            "Ayeka, I'm sorry," she said.

            "What for?"

            "For all that stuff I said back in Washu's lab. I just got carried away. You know I didn't mean to embarrass you, right?"

            "I know," Ayeka replied. "Then I'm sorry for insulting you about your relationships with other men."

            "When was that?"

            "Just in general," Ayeka said. "I know now that the things I've said concerning that aspect of you are unjustified. I'm sorry for saying them."

            "Thanks," Ryoko nodded. She went silent as realisation dawned. "You mean you've..." She gestured towards her hips with a clawed hand.

            Ayeka looked away hurriedly, blushing furiously. "Of course not. I wouldn't want to take that away from you. That's for Tenchi, at least in theory."

            "But what were you doing down there in the first place, princess?" Ryoko asked suspiciously.

            "It's not what you think," Ayeka blushed. "I was merely... curious."

            "Curious. I see. So you've seen mine. You know I have to see yours now."

            "You mean to say you haven't looked at mine?"

            Ryoko paused, then turned her head forwards and away from Ayeka. "This is going too far too fast," she said.

            "Would you rather we go slower?" Ayeka asked. She moved up slightly and reached her hand towards Ryoko's, which was lying on a cushion. It stiffened as she touched it, but then grasped the princess' hand in return. They looked at each other for a long moment.

---------------

            Tenchi stood in the background, out of sight and of mind. He stood in the doorway to the kitchen, just able to see the two women on the sofa round the corner. He turned and returned to the kitchen.

            "So do they want anything, Tenchi?" Sasami asked of the two.

            Tenchi shook his head. "Maybe just time," he said. "I wouldn't go in there for a few minutes."

            "Why, what are they doing?"

            "They're becoming friends."

---------------

            Washu sat at her desk in her lab. She was watching the scene through one of her hidden spy cameras.

            "I've unlocked something within them," she said to herself. "Who knows how deep it goes. I guess only time will reveal it."

            She continued to watch, as the two women remained still, staring endlessly at each other.

            "Time..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Reviews of any nature are always welcome. Tell me exactly what you think so far.


	2. Flames and Flirtations

Mind Swap, Chapter 2 (The One where Everyone Finds Out)

"Flames and Flirtations"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            There was a dot in the sky, indistinguishable from the stars. Except it was daytime. The dot grew bigger, and now it was able to have some colour. It was red, flaming red. And there was a very good reason for this. It was actually flaming.

            Inside the cockpit, Mihoshi was nervously pushing buttons. Yukinojo was a lot of help, but Mihoshi wasn't listening. Aside from the fact that she and her ship were plummeting down to the planet quicker than a herd of schoolboys going to lunch, Mihoshi also had to contend with the coffee in her lap.

            That was the last time she believed the mechanics when they said, during the regular maintenance of the ship, that they could install cup holders that could hold anything, and I mean, ANYthing.

            As long as a cup of coffee wasn't anything. Mihoshi made a mental note to complain about this during her next report, and as with the others, the note was fairly instantly lost forever in some cobweb-encrusted recess of her mind. That's not to say she was absent-minded. She just didn't want to, or feel that she should, dig around in the angry part of her mind. It just wasn't her.

            No, Mihoshi was the nice type, the kind of person who shrugs off any insult thrown at them and smiles. Unfortunately, this often, well, always, comes across as forgetfulness or bimbo-ness or "The Blonde Syndrome", as some people she once met termed it. On another of those notes were their names, with a large skulls-and-crossbones logo next to them.

            This was all using up time before the inevitable impact, as the atmosphere is tens of miles thick. But once the ship had passed the clouds, Mihoshi could see out of the window, partially obscured by the bird on the glass, a look of complete surprise on its face, her unfortunate landing zone.

---------------

            Meanwhile, unaware of the impending doom, Ryoko and Ayeka continued to stare at each other, still holding hands. Unaware to them, Tenchi was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, holding a drink, watching on at the events. Unaware to any of them, Washu was also watching, sitting back in a large leather chair. It had to be leather, as all big comfy chairs are. It could have been a foam-filled polyester chair, a nice Lay-Zee Boy™ brand recliner, but it wasn't.

            Ryoko stirred, and the three people watching her paid more attention to her. She cleared her throat and swallowed some of the excess moisture in her mouth.

            "Ayeka, how long have we been here?" she asked.

            "Well, I would guess about six months," Ayeka replied. "Yes, that sounds about right."

            "Six months," Ryoko reflected. "We've been living in the same house, day after day, for six months, and only now do we realise how we feel about each other."

            "Well, technically, it isn't exactly the same house," Ayeka replied. "I can think of at least three walls that have been replaced over this past half year. Some even four or more times."

            "But still," Ryoko said. "Six months, and we haven't even kissed, or anything."

            "Kissed who?" Tenchi asked, feeling it was about time he came back in, so the others wouldn't get suspicious. He sipped his drink and walked towards the couch.

            "Why, you, of course," Ryoko said, caught off guard. She floated over the back of the couch and over to Tenchi. Upon arrival she cast her arms around him and nuzzled against his neck. Tenchi looked over to Ayeka, who was looking at Ryoko.

            "That is a point," Tenchi said, disentangling himself from her arms. He went over and sat next to Ayeka. Ryoko paused, then moved over and sat on the other side of him. "You know, I think you've done quite well these past few months. We've only had to replace the house twice. That's less than once a month. I think that deserves some sort of reward. What do you say?"

            "What kind of reward?" Ayeka asked.

            "I do not know," Tenchi said. "Why don't you come up with something, and we'll see what we can do about it, ne?"

            "You mean, like a kiss or something?" Ryoko asked.

            "Maybe," Tenchi replied. Ayeka's mouth fell open, along with Ryoko's. Washu's did similarly, as she gasped.

            "Is Tenchi actually being forthcoming for once?" she wondered.

            The amazement turned out to be short-lived, as Mihoshi's ship splashed down in the lake in front of what is affectionately and correctly called the Masaki household. No object, however much you try, can be suddenly stopped from travelling at hundreds of miles an hour without causing some sort of a disturbance around it. Mihoshi's ship is not "no object". In that case, a tidal wave was obligated to spread out from the epicentre, causing damage, destruction and wetness all around, including the fondly-named Masaki house.

            Now, with any other house, being hit by a fast-moving tidal wave was not a good thing. The windows would implode, walls and doors would collapse, and the floors and ceilings, remaining as they do because of being horizontal, and so unaffected by the wave, would fall onto the hapless people who may still be there, if somehow they weren't washed away with their furniture.

            The Masaki house had a special advantage over these other houses. It had strength. Well, a shield. A Washu's Red Crab™ shield projection device helped maintain the integrity of the house, so causing it not to break.

            Inside, Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko stared at the water piling up outside the windows, the odd fish pressed against the glass, eyes wide with shock.

            Eventually, the water flowed down the windows and onto the ground. Tenchi and the others stepped outside and padded over the wet ground towards the lake. In about exactly the middle of it was Yukinojo, the front end buried in the lake bottom. The back stood straight out of the inflowing water. All the lights on the ship were flashing, indicating help was needed. As if it wasn't evident already.

            Mihoshi was back from work.

---------------

            After pulling Mihoshi out of her ship, and watching Washu perform a Jedi™-type trick to pull Yukinojo out of the lake, everyone was now trying to clean up the damage the water had done. It was a big wave, and so a big mess. Trees were left without leaves and small branches, others fallen completely. The ground was sodden, with a tendency to turn to mud when you weren't looking. A dead fish or two were scattered around the area, and, inexplicably, a bird. The bird had an expression you wouldn't have thought physically possible for a bird, one of surprise and terror.

            Tenchi was outside with the mess, trying against all logic to straighten things out. He picked up a large bundle of twigs and leaves and looked round for somewhere to dump it. He dropped the pile straight back down again as he realised that it wouldn't make a bit of difference. He sighed and went inside.

            He removed his wet shoes and placed them on the rack, before slipping his slippers on and going into the main room. He sat down with an exhausted sigh, tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

            Only to open them two seconds later, as the others came in.

            "Tenchi, have you finished clearing up outside already?" Ryoko asked, floating over and sitting next to him.

            Tenchi just looked at her evenly, and then out of the window. Outside looked like it had been hit by a tornado, but with more water. In fact, it looked like it had been hit by a tidal wave.

            "Oh." Ryoko stretched back.

            "If you want, I can fix it," Washu offered.

            "What?" Tenchi said, his exhaustion removing some of the tone of his voice. "So I was out there trying to clean up all afternoon, when you could have fixed it with one of your machines?"

            "That's about right," Washu replied, grinning.

            "So why did you let Lord Tenchi work out there for so long?" Ayeka asked.

            "I must have forgot," Washu said.

            "Tenchi, do you want something to eat or drink?" Sasami asked.

            "Yeah, thanks. A nice cold drink, please."

            "Sure." Sasami got up and went to get it.

            "So, Washu," Tenchi said. "When can you fix the garden?"

            "I'll do it tonight," Washu said. "I'm busy at the moment." She stretched back in her chair and snuggled deeper into the cushions.

            "Yes, right," Tenchi said, not without sarcasm. "I can see the work you're doing at the moment."

            "Do you want the garden fixing or not?" Washu asked.

            "Yes, Little Washu," Tenchi said.

            Sasami came back in at that moment with Tenchi's drink. She gave it to him.

            "Oh, thanks, Sammy," Tenchi said, taking a sip. "Great."

---------------

            It was later, merely because it wouldn't be earlier in a linear story such as this. Tenchi found himself in Washu's lab, after accidentally forcibly being pushed through the door by something behind him as he walked past. He took half a glance around, realised quickly this wasn't where he ever wanted to be, and made quickly back out of the lab.

            Unfortunately, he backed into the door. He turned around and saw that it was locked. Not with a key or anything, but with large boards and chains, with wires carrying crackling electricity through them. A spark from one of these wires leapt to the floor and dispersed, causing a small but very relevant crack to appear in the floor. Tenchi decided, wisely, to back away.

            Turning back round, Tenchi saw he was still in the lab. He was hoping against all possible hope from any god, goddess or other miscellaneous deities that were listening or not, that he would somehow appear back outside. But no, he was still there. Tenchi sighed. As labs went, this one was nicer than the others, being a small flat area surrounded by nice scenery such as trees, fields and hills, with a little stream nearby, but the most terrible things went on in here. Things which Tenchi wouldn't repeat to anyone. Ever.

            "Little Washu, what do you want now?" he asked to the room. "If it's about those guinea pig tests, please remember that if you try any it will go against my resolutions for this year. I told you about it, remember? 'Don't Get Tested On By Washu Ever'?"

            "Tenchi, I'm not going to try anything like that," Washu said, walking out from behind a tree. "I just need to talk to you."

            "About what?" Tenchi said apprehensively.

            "Don't be so suspicious," Washu said, walking over to him. She stopped and looked up at his face. "It doesn't suit you."

            "But why me?" Tenchi asked. "What about someone else? Someone who isn't me?"

            "But you're the only one I can talk with," Washu said. "It's about Ryoko and Ayeka."

            "What about them?" Tenchi asked. "You mean my choice? Yeah, I've decided to not have one of those. It's just going to cause more trouble than normal."

            "No, Tenchi, not your choice," Washu said, walking over to her workstation, being as it was a large purple cushion in front of a holographic laptop. She sat down. "Although it would be interesting how what you saw happen between the two affected it."

            "What do you mean?" Tenchi asked, his mind flashing back to when he was watching them hold hands on the couch. "What happened?"

            "You know full well," Washu said. "And I can prove it. Here, watch this."

            She tapped around on the laptop, and what looked like surveillance footage appeared on the screen. In fact, it was surveillance footage, starting just after Tenchi left the room earlier, leaving the two girls to talk, and finishing just after he interrupted their hand-holding.

            "Well?" she asked.

            "Does this mean you've got hidden cameras all over the house?" Tenchi asked. "Why?"

            "That's not the point," Washu said. "The point is that my daughter and the First Crown Princess of Jurai are in love with each other."

            "At least they're friends," Tenchi mumbled.

            "I just want to know what you think of all this," Washu asked.

            "What's there to think about?" Tenchi asked. "So they're, um, you know, like that. Why should it matter so much?"

            "You would say that, wouldn't you?" Washu said. "You're a guy, at least genetically."

            "Are you saying I'm a girl?" Tenchi asked.

            "Sometimes you act like one," Washu said. "But that's not the point. The thing is, all guys have a one-track mind. You can't help it if you happen to like the idea that my daughter is a lesbian."

            "That's not true!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Most other guys only think about two things: sex and sports. I'm compleings: sex and sports. I'm complee sports."

            Washu just looked at him.

            "Okay, so I've got testosterone. So what? In that case, why should it matter what I think, if you've got me all sussed out anyway?"

            "I just wanted to know what you thought," Washu said. "Besides, do you know what caused these feelings to manifest themselves?"

            "What?" Tenchi asked.

---------------

            While Washu was explaining vaguely what happened with the mind swaps, Ryoko and Ayeka were outside, looking at the destruction still there.

            "At least Washu's going to fix it tonight," Ryoko said.

            "Yes, well, that's very kind of her," Ayeka replied.

            There was silence for about as long as it takes to read this sentence, which is going to end now, so get ready for it, okay? There.

            "You did tell Washu to keep what happened between us a secret, didn't you?" Ayeka asked.

            "But I thought you did that?" Ryoko said. "Seriously," she added as Ayeka looked at her. "I didn't tell her."

            "What if she tells everyone else?" Ayeka asked. "I do not want Sasami at least to know."

            "Know about what?" Ryoko asked. "That we're both on the other side of the fence? That we're hiding in the same closet? That we're in love?"

            "Love?" Ayeka asked. "You think it's love?"

            "Do you?" Ryoko asked.

            There was another silence, about twice as long as before, during which the princess and the pirate stared at each other.

            "But don't you think we should tell Washu not to tell anyone?" Ayeka asked.

            "Oh, yes," Ryoko said. "We probably should. I trust her as much as I trust Tenchi to make a proper decision."

            "But Tenchi did offer to kiss us earlier," Ayeka remarked.

            "Oh yeah," Ryoko said. "Still, we should tell her not to tell anyone."

---------------

            By then, of course, it was too late. Tenchi knew everything that had happened.

            "Actually, I suspected something like that had happened," Tenchi said. "Ever since Ayeka, well, Ryoko came up to me in the garden yesterday, I thought something wasn't right."

            "Yes, well, now you know what happened, you can't help but to have suspected something, can you?" Washu asked. "But now we have this to think about. What are we going to do?"

            "What should we do?" Tenchi asked. "They haven't announced it, so I guess they want to keep it a secret. In that case, we shouldn't do anything. Let's just see what happens."

---------------

            Tenchi left the lab, just as the two girls entered the house. They greeted Tenchi, and went straight into Washu's lab.

            "Washu, have you told anyone about us?" Ryoko asked as soon as she entered.

            "Ryoko, hi," Washu said. "And no, I haven't told anyone about you."

            Although Tenchi knew about them anyway, without Washu's help. But Washu didn't tell them this.

            "Good," Ayeka said. "Little Washu, could you please not tell anyone about what happened? We would rather it remained a secret."

            "Sure, I won't tell anyone," Washu said. In the sense that 'won't' equates to 'will not', that is, from the present onwards, she wouldn't tell anyone. Washu had a habit of reading into things too much. "But only if you answer this question. Do you two love each other?"

            "Mom!" Ryoko exclaimed.

            "Calling me mom?" Washu asked. "I think I hit a sensitive spot there. Well, do you?"

            "Miss Washu, I can't believe you just asked that," Ayeka said, similarly shocked.

            And Miss. Obviously Ayeka was too busy thinking about something to think about her safety from any stone gnomes that might happen to drop around unexpectedly. Maybe she was thinking about Ryoko. "Okay, you two," Washu said. "I promise I won't tell anyone. Now go bug Tenchi. I have work to do."

            "Thanks, mom," Ryoko said, before they both turned and went out.

---------------

            Tenchi was relaxing in a chair in the main room when the two girls left the lab. He didn't notice, however. He was too busy doing nothing. His head sagged slightly to the left, and his mouth opened slightly. His breathing became slower and his body became limp.

            Ryoko and Ayeka caught sight of Tenchi. Ryoko was just about to fly over to him, and she would have, were Ayeka's hand not grabbing her arm. Ryoko looked at Ayeka, not in annoyance, as she would have done before, but merely with a questioning gaze. Ayeka shook her head and pointed at Tenchi. Ryoko followed the direction and saw that Tenchi was asleep. Realising, she nodded and drifted quietly over to the other couch, where she silently sat down. Ayeka followed and sat down next to her.

            "It's probably all that work he was doing this afternoon," Ayeka whispered. "He's exhausted."

            "And it didn't make any difference anyway," Ryoko whispered back. "Mom's going to do it up tonight."

            "Do you think we should wake him?" Ayeka asked. Ryoko shook her head. "I didn't think so either," Ayeka said. "Let him sleep until dinner, at least."

            "That's only in a short while, anyway," Ryoko said. "Boy, this afternoon just crawled along, didn't it?"

            "It certainly did," Ayeka agreed.

            There was another one of those silences, you know, the ones you get when one line of conversation runs out and you're trying desperately to think of something else to say before it becomes a prolonged and awkward silence. Too late.

            "So what do you think?" Ryoko asked. "You and me?"

            "I don't know," Ayeka replied. "I really don't know."

            "But do you love me?" Ryoko asked.

            "Love?" Ayeka exclaimed, and suddenly shut up when Tenchi stirred and rolled his head across to face them. Luckily he appeared to be still asleep. Ayeka continued. "Why do you think it's love?" she asked.

            "Are you saying you don't feel how..." Ryoko trailed off. "How I feel about Tenchi?" she said.

            "Well, it's not like that," Ayeka said. "It's just... I am Ayeka, the First Crown Princess of Jurai. When I am older I shall sit on the throne of Jurai and rule over millions of billions of people. What would everyone say if they found out I loved a space pirate, a most wanted criminal?"

            "Yeah?" Ryoko said. "Well, what about me? I've got friends. Admittedly, I haven't seen or spoken to them for years, but what would they say if they knew I'd fallen for a princess?"

            Tenchi stirred again, and his right leg jiggled slightly. The two girls watched him for a minute, before returning to their conversation.

            "Even if we forget about everyone else," Ryoko said. "What will Tenchi think? How will he react if he finds out that the two women he thought adored him the most were actually each other's lover?"

            "How would I know?" Ayeka mused, thinking about how he might react. "He could totally freak and never speak to us again. He could throw us out."

            "Probably not that far," Ryoko said. "Who knows? He might actually not be bothered. He'd just let us do what we wanted. Maybe he wouldn't be disturbed by it at all."

            They looked at each other. "Nah," they both said.

            "Tenchi would have a reaction," Ayeka said. "And besides, before Mihoshi came home, he was talking about how he wouldn't mind kissing us. Perhaps he's just starting to become bolder now, and he's ready for a relationship. We couldn't just tell him we're not interested any more."

            "Maybe he'll go for Mihoshi," Ryoko said. "Maybe we can _get him to go for Mihoshi."_

            Ayeka sat up. "Yes, that's possible. If Tenchi falls in love with Mihoshi, he'll forget about us."

            "So then when we tell him, he won't be as bothered."

            "Or disturbed," Ayeka said.

            "Then that's what we do," Ryoko said. "We get Mihoshi and Tenchi together, and then we tell everyone, right?"

            "Right," Ayeka nodded.

            "So that's the plan, is it?" Tenchi asked. He pulled himself up from the slumped position he was in and vigorously rubbed his right leg. "Cramp," he said to explain.

            "Tenchi, you're awake?" Ayeka asked, a question rather than a statement.

            "When did you wake up?" Ryoko asked.

            "Just after you came in," Tenchi said. "So, this plan. Get me to fall in love with Mihoshi, and then you two can tell me that you love each other, right? You still going to give it a try?"

            "Pretty pointless now," Ryoko muttered.

            "You, you know?" Ayeka stuttered.

            "Yes, I know," Tenchi sighed, yawning. "I knew ages ago, just before Mihoshi landed. Well, crashed."

            "And you didn't say anything?" Ryoko asked.

            "Well, I wanted to know all the facts," Tenchi said. "And Washu very kindly dragged me into her lab and told me about yesterday. Everything about the mind swaps. That was just before you went in there."

            "So..." Ayeka said slowly.

            "So, I'm wondering why you need to go to all these lengths before you can tell me," Tenchi said. "Why didn't you just say something right at the start? Don't you trust me, or something?"

            "We thought that..." Ryoko said.

            "Oh yes," Tenchi answered for her. "That I would freak and tell you all to leave. I'm not like that. To tell you the truth, now that I'm used to the idea, I don't see what's wrong. Lots of people love each other, and two of those people just happen to be you."

            "Oh," the two girls remarked. Somehow, they weren't expecting that.

            "I can never be the one to stand in the way of anything like this," Tenchi said. "And I want you both to be as happy as possible."

            "So, you're not disturbed by all this?" Ryoko asked.

            "Why should I be?" Tenchi replied. "As I said before, people fall in love all the time."

            "Wait, what do you mean? 'Fall in love'," Ayeka said. "We never said that we had."

            "Well, from what I heard, there wasn't exactly much denial," Tenchi said.

            "You mean you're not in love with me?" Ryoko asked.

            There was a rather uncomfortable pause, during which Ayeka tried her best to remain neutral, not showing if she was or not.

            "You know what, I'm going," Ryoko said angrily. "When you come up with an answer, you let me know."

            With that, Ryoko raised up and disappeared. Ayeka watched her go silently, a look of conflict on her face. She sighed and sat down.

            Tenchi decided it would probably be best if he didn't hang around, and so he left Ayeka to think.

---------------

            Tenchi, for some reason far beyond his understanding, went down to Washu's lab. He had no idea why he would willingly go in there ever again, but against all odds, he did. Before he knew what he was doing, he had opened the door and walked in.

            Washu was busy staring at her laptop, as if trying to see if it was still there. She frowned and smashed her fist on the keypad. But the keypad was only made of light, and her fist passed silently through and impacted sharply with her thigh. She groaned in pain and keeled forwards off her big red cushion, landing on the grass below.

            "Are you okay, Little Washu?" Tenchi asked, walking towards her.

            Washu looked up and completely forgot about the pain in her leg. Without anyone noticing it, the pain decided to go away, disappointed that it wouldn't be missed. Washu was completely shocked at something else. "Tenchi?"

            "What?" Tenchi replied.

            "Why are you here?" Washu asked, getting up slowly. "I don't even... why are you here?"

            "I think I've just killed a relationship," Tenchi replied. "Tore it right up. And upstairs are the pieces."

            "You mean Ryoko and Ayeka?" Washu asked. Tenchi nodded. "How did you manage to do that?" she asked. "Usually it's Mihoshi who breaks everything."

            "She doesn't always break everything," Tenchi said. "But I told them I knew about them."

            "You idiot."

            "I'm sorry?"

            "What did you do that for?" Washu asked. "You should never tell people you know things."

            "You do, all the time," Tenchi replied, feeling rather humiliated.

            "Yes, but that's different."

---------------

            And while Washu was explaining how when she said she knew everything it was okay, but if Tenchi said he knew anything it was not, Ryoko was busy flying as fast and as far away as possible from the house.

            "I was an idiot to ever think she loved me," Ryoko said angrily. "Well, it's her loss. She could have done much worse than me."

            She flew on for a bit, clouds quickly moving out of her way to let her through. Even though they were only evaporated droplets of water, they knew better than to mess with an angry Ryoko.

            "She never deserved me anyway," Ryoko said, her tone visibly worse than before. "She doesn't know what she could have had, and now she never can. I hate her."

            Ryoko growled, and then shouted at the world in general.

            "I HATE YOU, AYEKA!"

---------------

            After a while, and another while Washu had taken up explaining why Tenchi should maintain his status as a complete idiot, Tenchi approached Ayeka's room. He was wielding a drink, of Ayeka's favourite flavour, in the misplaced hope that he could fix whatever he had done. He still wasn't sure what that was, but he was damned if he was going to give up repairing whatever it was he had done. He knocked on the door.

            "Miss Ayeka?" he called hopefully. "Are you in there?"

            She was, and they both knew it, but Ayeka didn't reply.

            "Ayeka?" Tenchi called again. "I'm coming in."

            There was no response. Tenchi grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open. Ayeka was in there, as they both knew, lying face down on her bed. Tenchi approached and sat down next to her.

            "I brought you a drink," Tenchi said, hoping for a response. He didn't get one. "It's your favourite." Still nothing. "I hope I made it right, but I'm not sure how you like it. It's probably too strong."

            "I like strong," Ayeka said quietly, her voice muffled by the pillow she was burying her face into.

            "Oh, so you are alive." Tenchi sounded relieved. He reached out his hand and gently touched her shoulder. The shoulder tensed, but then relaxed. "Come on. Have a drink."

            "I'm not thirsty," Ayeka said.

            "I know you are, so I'll just put this here." Tenchi placed the drink down on the table next to the bed. He sighed. "Ayeka, what is it?"

            There was no response, so Tenchi continued. "Is it because of what I said?" he asked. Still no reply. "Is it because I know?"

            "No."

            "Oh, good," Tenchi said, relaxing. It wasn't his fault. But something was still wrong. "Ayeka, do you love Ryoko?" he asked.

            Ayeka clenched the pillow closer to her face.

            "So you don't love her?" Tenchi asked. "Suits me. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend, and that's all the better now that you don't love her instead."

            Ayeka darted upright and stared straight into Tenchi's eyes. "What?" she whispered.

            "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Tenchi asked.

            "How... how dare you say such a thing?" Ayeka gasped.

            "Is that a no?" Tenchi asked.

            Ayeka sat staring at him for a moment, and then quickly got up and backed away from him.

            "Why are you doing that, Ayeka?" Tenchi asked. "Don't you want to be my girlfriend?"

            Ayeka's mouth just flapped open and shut.

            "What's stopping you?" Tenchi asked. "You don't love Ryoko or anyone else, apparently. So why don't you want to be my girlfriend?"

            "Because I love Ryoko!" Ayeka shouted at him.

            "Really?" Tenchi asked. "Then why didn't you tell her that?"

            Ayeka stopped breathing, and realised what she had just said. She slumped to her knees on the floor, her head sagged down, thinking about Ryoko. Tenchi got up and moved over to her, crouching beside her.

            "Why didn't you tell Ryoko that?" Tenchi repeated softly.

            Ayeka blinked a few times and cleared her throat. "I am a Princess of Jurai," she said quietly, her voice wavering. "Ryoko is a wanted criminal."

            "So that's what all this is about," Tenchi said, leaning back. "Sooner or later, it always comes back to status. You're a princess, she's a pirate. You're afraid that if you admitted that you love her, everyone would think less of you. Right?"

            Ayeka nodded dumbly. She couldn't quite believe that Tenchi was being so insightful. But he had got it right, though. She was afraid.

            "I thought so," Tenchi said. He looked directly at Ayeka. "Look, Ayeka, where are you?"

            Ayeka wasn't expecting that question, so she took a while to think about it. "Earth," she managed.

            "Right. Is Earth part of this Jurai alliance thing? No, it isn't. That means that no-one on this entire planet has heard of you. They don't know who you are. They won't go around judging you if you choose to love Ryoko."

            "I guess," Ayeka said slowly.

            "Right," Tenchi replied. "So why not bring out your feelings, at least here? Nobody will know that they should judge you for who you are. I certainly don't."

            "Really?" Ayeka asked. "You don't think any less of me?"

            "Of course not," Tenchi replied. "In fact, I think more of you than before. You're starting to freely express yourself. I think that's great."

            "So you really don't mind?" Ayeka asked.

            "Again, no."

            "Then why were you asking me to be your girlfriend before?" Ayeka asked angrily.

---------------

            Having escaped from Ayeka, and content that he had fixed at least one half of this mess, Tenchi wandered outside. He had no idea where Ryoko could have gone, but he had a feeling that she was nearby. He started to walk towards the shrine.

            As he approached the arch near the shrine, he spotted Ryoko. She was lying on top of the tall archway, her arms draped over the sides, facing up into the sky.

            "Ryoko!" Tenchi called.

            Ryoko turned over, away from Tenchi. She wanted to be left alone. "Go away, Tenchi," she said threateningly.

            Tenchi sighed and looked round. There were no conveniently-placed trees he could climb up to join Ryoko at the top, but Tenchi spotted something else.

            Ryoko hadn't heard anything else for a minute, and so turned back over, resuming her vicious stare at the sky. What the sky had done to make her so angry, it didn't know, but it was willing to change if it made her happier. Her scowl was just too discomforting.

            Her scowl was completely interrupted when an apple landed on her chest. The sky was surprised: it hadn't dropped the apple. Ryoko was also shocked. She grabbed the apple and leaned over the side of the arch, to see Tenchi eating a similar apple.

            "Mind if I join you?" Tenchi asked.

            Ryoko looked at the apple she was holding, as if she had never seen one before. She breathed heavily and took a bite out of it. It was really rather tasty. "What do you want, Tenchi?" she asked in a dismissive tone.

            "I was just wondering if you were okay," Tench replied, taking another bite. "Enjoying your apple?"

            "I suppose so," Ryoko said, still eyeing the apple with contempt. The apple made an extra attempt to be even juicier and delicious than before. Unfortunately, as it was an apple, it managed to do nothing. "Why?" Ryoko asked.

            "I was just speaking to Ayeka, and..."

            "Don't talk to me about her," Ryoko said firmly. "I hate her."

            "No you don't," Tenchi replied.

            "What? Yes, I do."

            "No, you don't."

            "Yes I... What's all this about?" Ryoko asked.

            "Why don't you like Ayeka any more?" Tenchi asked.

            "Well..." Ryoko started. "She doesn't love me. I'm fine with that, though. It just gives me more time to be with you, Tenchi."

            Ryoko hopped off the arch and drifted down to Tenchi, and flung her arms around his next, holding his face inched from her own. They looked at each other for a while.

            "Actually, I was hoping you'd be attracted to me again," Tenchi said. "I told Ayeka that I was sorry, but I'd decided to ask you to be my girlfriend. What do you say?"

            Ryoko let go and stepped back. "What?"

            "Do you want to be my girlfriend, Ryoko?" Tenchi asked.

            "But..." Ryoko started.

            "But you love Ayeka, don't you?" Tenchi said.

            "What? No I don't."

            "Yes you do. I can feel it," Tenchi added, before the dialogue became another dragged out string of two short sentences again. "I know it. You're still in love with Ayeka."

            "So what if I am?" Ryoko said. "She doesn't love me, and that's the point."

            "But she does love you," Tenchi said. "I talked to her. She told me she loved you. She just didn't say it earlier because she was concerned about her being a princess and you a pirate."

            "Just like always," Ryoko said. "Always thinking about the throne. But you're not making this up, are you?"

            "I wouldn't dare," Tenchi said. "Look. Go see her. She's waiting for you, back home. Just go and talk to her. If you still decide you hate each other, then fine. But at least you'll know for certain."

            "Maybe," Ryoko mused.

---------------

            Tenchi had a large grin on his face as he walked home. Using his amazing and inexplicable insight, he had managed to get two people who loved each other to talk. Not quite the ultimate feat, yes, but considering they were arch-rivals half a year ago, and then everything that had happened to them all since then, it was more understandably impressive. Especially when it was Tenchi that managed this. "Maybe I should be a psychologist," Tenchi thought. "I did quite well with those two, and they were nemeses. I'd do brilliantly with normal nutbars."

            He met Mihoshi on his way home. She was lying on the ground, half asleep, although Tenchi wouldn't put it past her to be completely unconscious. He shrugged, and sat down next to her. He rubbed her arm, trying to wake her up. Mihoshi stirred and opened her eyes. She tilted her head and looked at Tenchi.

            "Oh, hello Tenchi," she said, as most people would upon meeting Tenchi after not seeing him for a while.

            "Come on," Tenchi said. "It's getting dark." Finally. This afternoon really had been full, not to mention dragged out.

            They got up and walked back to the house.

---------------

            Ryoko hadn't returned by the time they arrived. Dinner was ready, so they all sat down to eat.

            "Where's Ryoko?" Sasami asked. Ayeka tried her best not to be bothered by that name, but a bit of feeling slipped her by. She poked a rice ball with her chopsticks.

            "She's right here," Ryoko said, appearing at the doorway. Everyone turned around to see her, Ayeka quicker than the others. Seeing Ayeka, Ryoko expression wavered slightly, but she regained herself and went and sat down in her usual seat. She grabbed a plate and started getting food.

            "Where did you go, Ryoko?" Sasami asked.

            "Just out," Ryoko replied. "I realised something extremely important, too, but that's private."

            "Fair enough," Mihoshi said. She reached for her drink.

            If it were said that Tenchi was a little uncomfortable sitting between Ryoko and Ayeka, that being his usual position, then what was written would be a lie. He was _really uncomfortable. They obviously hadn't talked to each other yet, and so weren't in the mood to fight with each other over Tenchi._

            In retrospect, Tenchi experienced the quietest and most uneventful dinner ever that night.

---------------

            Finally in this story, the day ended. Ryoko and Ayeka still hadn't talked, and so went to their separate rooms quietly, exchanging no words. Everyone else also went to bed. Tenchi had some trouble sleeping, as he was thinking about what the two girls were thinking about, but he remembered that he had sorted it all out. At least, he hoped.

            Ryoko and Ayeka slept surprisingly well that night. Although they hadn't talked, they each knew that they loved the other, and somehow that the other knew that.

---------------

            The Earth continued to rotate, but by a curious quirk of relativity, the sun appeared to rise from below the horizon. It inevitably proceeded further into the sky, casting its warm glowing warming glow over the area known to its inhabitants as home. These inhabitants were waking up.

            "Good morning Sasami," Mihoshi greeted as she entered the kitchen. She yawned and looked around for a drink, while Sasami was kept busy stirring a bowl of soup. She did reply similarly, however, before resuming her task.

            Tenchi was the next one to enter, followed rather quickly by Washu. Since Yosho pretty much lived at the nearby shrine, and Nobuyuki lived in town, they were only waiting for Ryoko and Ayeka to come down before they could start eating.

            Once they didn't come down for perhaps twenty minutes, Tenchi took the initiative and went upstairs to look for them. He checked Ryoko's room first, but found nothing interesting. But as he approached Ayeka's room, he could just make out some voices coming from inside. Tenchi, forever curious, pressed his head against the door and listened to the conversation within.

            Ironically, as soon as Tenchi began to listen to the conversation, it stopped. Tenchi couldn't hear anything inside, even though he knew that the two were inside. After a short pause, Tenchi risked knocking.

            There was no response. Tenchi knocked again. And again, no response. Tenchi edged the door open and peeked inside, only to quickly shut it again. He cleared his throat rather apologetically, and spoke in a rather wavering voice through the door. "Miss Ayeka, breakfast is ready."

            "Really?" Ayeka replied from within. "Thank you, Lord Tenchi. I must have overslept or something. I shall be down in a moment."

            "Hello Tenchi," Ryoko greeted from behind him. Tenchi jumped and turned around quickly, only to see Ryoko's face immediately in front of his own. He tried backing away, but promptly banged his head on the wall.

            "Ryoko," Tenchi exclaimed. He rubbed the back of his head, like he had done so many times before, but now it was because it hurt. "What are you up to?"

            "I just want to thank you, Tenchi," Ryoko said, expressing the most genuinely happy face Tenchi had seen on her ever. She leaned forwards and gave Tenchi a hug, not a strong one like the others, attempted or otherwise, but a hug which suggested that she was finally happy with something. Tenchi could guess what, too.

            "You're, um, welcome, Ryoko," Tenchi said nervously. Being the kind of guy who wants to know everything, even despite Washu's harsh lecture on the dangers associated by this, Tenchi just had to ask. "What for?"

            "Just everything," Ryoko replied, letting go. "You know, for letting me stay here, even though I did try to kill you the first time we met, and for hijacking your house that second time. Thank you for being so kind to me, even though I'm a most wanted criminal. Thanks for understanding all of this. You know, just general thanks."

            "Fair enough," Tenchi replied. "Look, Ayeka's just getting dressed. She'll be down in a second, so come on. Breakfast is ready."

---------------

            Breakfast, like all other meals prepared in this house, was eaten fully and wholeheartedly. Sasami was a great cook, after all. Afterwards, for reasons that will not be gone into now, or indeed ever, Tenchi and Ayeka were outside, lying in the garden. Tenchi looked over at Ayeka and asked.

            "Miss Ayeka?" he asked, obviously, to get her attention. Once she was looking at him, he continued. "Just before I came to tell you about breakfast, I heard a conversation going on in your room. Who were you talking to?"

            "Oh, no-one," Ayeka replied. "I was just arguing with myself about how I overslept."

            "Fair enough," Tenchi replied. He looked back at the sky. "It's just that, Ryoko met me outside just after, and started to thank me for everything I'd done. I just thought maybe you two had talked and made up."

            "We haven't yet, actually," Ayeka said, also watching the clouds go by. Clouds were funny things. Large groups of evaporated clear liquid, but then turning white, floating effortlessly in space while people below stare at them and think about what they look like. But I digress.

            "Really?" Tenchi asked. "So why are you two in such good moods?"

            "Why shouldn't we be?" Ayeka asked. "It's a nice day. I'm just really happy with everything in general. Oh, that reminds me. Have I ever thanked you for being so kind and hospitable to me? All of us?"

            "Are you at it too?" Tenchi groaned. "No, I don't think you have," he said louder. "But don't bother doing so. Just having you guys as friends is thanks enough."

            "Are you sure? Because I really am grateful. I wouldn't want you to think we were not gracious for all your help and kindness."

            "I'm sure," Tenchi said. As he looked up at the clouds he suddenly felt bored. "Ayeka, if you don't mind, could you teach me how to play Juraian chess?"

---------------

            Ayeka did so. Explaining the rules, with a few practise games, took about half an hour. At the end, Tenchi knew all the basics, and some of the advances strategies of the game. They played for a further hour and a bit, before deciding, after Tenchi's third victory in a row, to quit. Tenchi went away to work in the carrot fields, while Ayeka reset the chessboard. Ryoko drifted in just as she had finished.

            "Hey princess," Ryoko greeted. "Fancy another round of chess?"

            "Sure, pirate," Ayeka replied. "Earth or Jurai rules?"

---------------

            It was Earth chess. They played silently for a few moves, the only sounds the pieces tapping their way across the board. Ryoko decided to speak.

            "Check," she said, placing her bishop down. "Get out of that one."

            Ayeka countered by moving her own bishop to block. "Done."

            Ryoko gazed around for a bit, before moving a knight around to the square next to her bishop. "You know, I think we need to talk."

            "I agree," Ayeka replied, moving a pawn forwards.

            "Well?"

            "Well what? It's your turn."

            "Not that," Ryoko said. "Don't you have anything to say?"

            "Yes," Ayeka said. She took a few breaths before continuing. "I'm sorry."

            "...?"

            "I'm sorry for not telling you this before," Ayeka continued. "I just had to think about some things."

            "Yes, Tenchi told me," Ryoko said. "Crown or me, right?"

            "Um, something like that, yes," Ayeka said. "Anyway, after talking with him, I have decided to not keep this hidden any longer. Ryoko, I do love you."

            Ryoko's face visibly lightened. "I love you too, Ayeka."

            They both stood up and walked around the table they were playing at. As soon as they reached each other they embraced the other, holding them tightly.

            The law of averages states that the probability that the one remaining person, Sasami, (Tenchi being off in the fields, Washu in her lab and Mihoshi back on patrol,) would come into that particular room at that moment are in fact quite small. However, the law of animé states that anything with a probability is ignored, and the outcome is going to happen anyway, and nearly always does at a particularly embarrassing time for the people involved. Which is why Sasami walked in at that moment. She stopped immediately in the doorway when she caught sight of the two already in there, of course, and begun the unstoppable process of staring.

            Ayeka rather embarrassingly noticed Sasami at the doorway. She immediately let go of Ryoko and backed away several steps. Ryoko swivelled round and "erk"-ed to a halt.

            "Sasami, what are you doing here?" Ayeka asked hurriedly.

            "I live here," Sasami replied, still staring at the two. "What were you two doing here?"

            Ryoko and Ayeka glanced at each other, trying desperately to think of a good excuse. A simple one should suffice, as Sasami was only a little girl. She probably wouldn't even understand what was going on if she knew the truth. However...

            "She tripped," they both said together. They looked at each other.

            "We both tripped," Ryoko said.

            "We caught each other," Ayeka added.

            "Quite a funny story, actually..." Ryoko started, but a look from Ayeka silenced her. They both looked expectantly at Sasami.

            Sasami looked at the two for a moment, and narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked. "It looked a lot like you were hugging, and really hugging at that."

            "Hugging? No!" they both exclaimed. "We tripped!"

            "Okay, I believe you," Sasami said, a knowing look on her face. "Where's Tenchi?"

            "Carrot field?" Ryoko suggested, surprised at this sudden change of topic.

            "Okay," Sasami said. "I'll ask him if he knows anything about you two hugging, then." She turned towards the door.

            Ryoko slid into view in front of her, hands raised in front of her, and a nervous smile on her face. Ayeka quickly joined her, and started to laugh nervously.

            "Sasami, dear, why don't you get some rest instead?" Ayeka suggested.

            "That's right," Ryoko continued. "I'm sure making that fantastic breakfast this morning took a lot out of you. Why don't you have a nap or something?"

            "What don't you want me to find out?" Sasami asked. Ryoko and Ayeka looked at each other, and sagged their shoulders. They had to tell her, or she would just get it out of Tenchi, who wasn't the strongest-minded individual in the galaxy.

            Ayeka moved forwards and guided Sasami to the couch in the main room. Once they had sat down Ayeka shuffled up to her.

            "Little Sasami, we need to tell you something," she said. "You will probably not understand it, which is alright if you don't. Sometimes, when a man is attracted to a woman, he feels something special deep inside himself. Now, it is possible for two people of the same gender to..."

            "Do you two love each other?" Sasami asked. After seeing their reactions, which would be too obvious to describe, she continued. "Yes, it all makes sense. Are you two lesbians?"

            "Where did you learn that word?" Ryoko asked, dumbfounded.

            "Come on," Sasami sighed. "I'm twelve, not a kid. I know all about this kind of thing. So, do you two love each other?"

            "Well..." Ayeka started, trying to start thinking on a completely different level.

            "..." Ryoko continued, still shocked that such a young girl would know about this kind of thing.

            "...Yes," Sasami finished for them. Once the other two didn't reply, Sasami smiled. "That's great!" she said. "You two are in love! I'm so happy for you two!"

            She might as well have been talking to an insole, for all the response she was getting now.

---------------

            While Ayeka and Ryoko were trying to cope with this, Washu was at work. Well, when it said "work", read "spying on the conversation going on in the living room".

            "So Sasami knows," Washu said. "Interesting."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Please, always, tell me what you think. Do you think it's up to scratch with the quality of the first chapter? Please, reviews.


	3. Surges and Suggestions

Mind Swap, Chapter 3 (The One with the Offer)

"Surges and Suggestions"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            And so, to dive right back into the plot, we rejoin the two lovers and the little sister where they left off. Let's watch.

            And Ryoko and Ayeka were still doing very fine impressions of doormats, while Sasami was talking at them about how good it was that they were finally friends, and good friends at that. Some people say that Sasami, being only a little girl, wouldn't/shouldn't know about such things, but Nobuyuki did have a good personal library. All it required was to pile a few books onto the stepladder for Sasami to be able to reach the top shelf material. This gave her all the information she needed to know, and some she was just curious about.

            After a short while, Sasami realised that something was wrong. "One of Washu's experiments must have gone wrong again," she said. "It looks like time has stopped."

             But it hadn't. Ryoko and Ayeka were just in shock, that's all. Ryoko moved slightly, and blinked. Ayeka did similarly.

            "Oh, so time's not stopped," Sasami said, relieved. "Why don't you just sit down, while I make us some drinks, ne?" She walked into the kitchen, while Ayeka and Ryoko struggled to think how Sasami had come to know such things. They moved towards the sofa and sat down. And then they blinked again.

            Something on the coffee table caught their eye. It was a copy of "Star Whores", the first issue of the series, entitled "The Phantom Men – Ace!". It was open at a particularly inciting page, in which the poses tried on by, apparently, "Queen Armadillo", "Pat-me", "Juar Juar Blings" and "Obi Huan K'nobbly" left very little, if nothing at all, to the imagination. And even so, it was an enticing publication. Ryoko and Ayeka found themselves flicking through several pages before they knew what they were doing.

            "Where, um, did this come from?" Ayeka wondered aloud. "I'm just curious," she added hastily as she caught the judging gaze of Ryoko. "Do you think it's from father's library?"

            "It must be," Ryoko replied. "But from the looks of it, this is new. This should be in his room by now, tucked safely away in the second drawer down." There was a pause. "So I'd imagine," Ryoko added.

            "So what is it doing down here, where just anyone could find it?" Ayeka asked. "Especially Sasami. What if she saw this?"

            "She did see this," Ryoko realised. "In fact, she was the one that got it from Nobuyuki's room. The little hentai."

            "Sasami?" Ayeka gasped. "Hentai? Sweet little Sasami?"

            "What about me, sister?" Sasami asked as she entered with the drinks. She set them down on the table next to the magazine and took a drink for herself, before sitting on the other sofa.

            "What? Oh, nothing." Ayeka took her drink, and silently encouraged Ryoko to do the same. "Listen, Sasami, how did you possibly find out about, well, us two?"

            "I saw you hugging, remember?" Sasami said. "I realised it just after that, especially when you were giving your explanation, and not letting me find Tenchi. That's a point. Where is Tenchi?"

            "Probably still at the carrot fields," Ryoko said. "But that's not the point. We didn't mean when you realised about us. How did you learn about the basic concept of, that kind of thing?"

            "Oh, from father's books," Sasami replied casually. "I was just reading that magazine when I decided to get a drink. And that's when I found you."

            "Why were you reading father's books?" Ayeka asked. "Especially ones that should be too high up for you to reach, in his library?"

            "He told me to," Sasami said.

            "He told you? To read hentai?" Ryoko said slowly.

            "Yeah. I thought it was strange at first, too, but then I realised what it was about. It expresses different ways in which love is shown. I think it's wonderful."

            "Hentai is wonderful?" Ayeka asked.

            "Well, it's not like we haven't thought about it ourselves," Ryoko whispered to the First Princess. "Well, I have, anyway."

            Ayeka blushed hotly, before shaking her head rapidly and looking back at Sasami. "Sasami, hentai is for adults, and people old enough to be mature about what they do."

            "I am mature," Sasami said indignantly. "I'm eleven, not a kid. Besides, father said I was very mature for my age. He said Tenchi would be really impressed if I learned about it."

            "That figures," Ayeka muttered. "Since none of us are getting nearer to him, he's trying to push him towards Sasami, hoping she does better."

            "But Sasami," Ryoko said. "Even with everything you know, you're still too young..."

            "Young for what?" Sasami asked. "I love Tenchi, just like you do. Wait, do you still love Tenchi?"

            "Of course," they both said. "We still love Tenchi completely."

            "Okay," Sasami said. "Well, I love him too, and this is a way for me to express my love for him. That's what father told me, anyway."

            "But what exactly are you going to do about it?" Ryoko asked, remembering that second visit to the onsen, when Tsunami revealed herself to be what Sasami would look like when she grew up, which, admittedly, was better looking that either of the two main rivals.

            "I've got my ways," Sasami said grinning. "And you're not going to copy or spoil them, so I'm not telling you."

            "Oh, go on," Ryoko said. "Please?"

            "No!" Sasami said forcibly, frowning. "You're just going to have to wait and see."

---------------

            Wait they did, for Tenchi came back home about twenty minutes later. As he walked through the house on his way upstairs to take a shower, he noticed an unfinished chess game on the dining table. He looked at it for a bit, and moved a white bishop. "Checkmate." Satisfied that it was indeed the end of the game, he packed his handcrafted pieces and board away into a cupboard, before proceeding to his room.

            As he opened the door, he noticed something had changed. But he couldn't place what. Shrugging, he dropped the contents of his pockets onto his desk, before proceeding to the bathroom.

            Up until six months ago, going to the bathroom, whatever the purpose, was a simple task, hardly worth thinking about. Just walk along and step in. Now, it was an assault course of creaky floorboards, echoing noises in the floor from footsteps, and Ryoko. After that, once Tenchi had entered the bathroom, and managed to wrestle Ryoko out of the doorway to close the door, he had to act fast. Ryoko's incessant pounding could eventually break down the door, which would be very uncomfortable for Tenchi. Of course, about twenty-nine seconds after she started her pounding, it would stop, only to be replaced by a more terrible noise: fighting. There was always the risk that a stray explosion would break the bathroom door down, leaving Tenchi in a rather similar situation, only this time amongst rubble and burning door shards. Luckily, and especially curiously for an animé, this had never happened before. The bathroom was quite possibly the only room in the house that hadn't been destroyed once. Well, and the kitchen. They needed a place to make food, after all.

            But that was the easy part. Getting past Ryoko again, because she always managed to be there once Tenchi had finished his quick shower, wearing only drops of water and a towel, now that was the hard part.

            However, when Tenchi peered nervously out of his door towards the bathroom, he saw a corridor. No Ryoko. For a second, Tenchi was worried that something had happened to her, but he quickly remembered how Ryoko could take care of herself. She was probably just sleeping or not bothering to "greet" Tenchi this time. Tenchi shrugged again and entered the bathroom. Immediately, there was no pounding, no calls through the door for Tenchi to open it.

            Tenchi knew straight away that something was wrong. But then there was the question of what was different about his room. He mused on this as he took his shower, his longest one for half a year now. Was the furniture different? He didn't think so. The colours? No. The stuff lying around that he just didn't seem to be able to find the time for to put away? He couldn't remember. There was a lot of it.

            As he exited the bathroom, now comfortably washed and changed, he went back to his room to see exactly what was different.

            But nothing was different. His furniture, the walls, carpet, ceiling, they were all fine, exactly how he left them. His mess was all accounted for. The same background smell was the same. Nothing was different. But he could have sworn something had changed.

            Momentarily dismissing it from the thinking part of his brain, Tenchi started to think about something else. Ryoko. Not in any other sense, mind you, but only thinking about what could have happened to keep her from "greeting" him outside the bathroom some minutes ago. And this was where his relentless human nature once again raised its proverbial voice, asking him, telling him to be curious. So Tenchi, being the most refreshed he had been for pretty much half a year, went downstairs in search of the green-haired demoness.

            He found Sasami in the kitchen.

            "Hey, Sasami," Tenchi said. "You haven't seen Ryoko anywhere, have you?"

            "Sure, Tenchi," Sasami replied. "I saw Ryoko and Ayeka hugging about half an hour ago."

            "Hugging?" Tenchi asked. "Are you sure they hadn't just caught each other while they were falling, or something?"

            "Nope," Sasami said, shaking her head and grinning widely. "Hey, Tenchi? Want to know something about them?"

            "Like what?" Tenchi asked.

            "Ryoko and Ayeka are in love with each other," Sasami said. "They told me themselves."

            "They, they told you?" Tenchi asked.

            "Well, I figured it out before that," Sasami said. "I told them I knew, and they admitted it."

            "I didn't know they were telling people already," Tenchi mused. "Wait. How did you figure that out? You're just a young girl."

            Sasami frowned. "I'm a lot older than you are, Tenchi," she said. "I was born over six hundred years ago, remember? I'm mature enough to know about lesbians and all that."

            Tenchi choked. "But how do you know all that anyway? How did you figure out that Ryoko and Ayeka are, well, you know..."

            "Wait, did you already know about them?" Sasami asked. "You knew, and you didn't tell me? Did they make you promise not to tell anyone?"

            "Well, not as such," Tenchi said.

            "But I thought I was your friend, Tenchi," Sasami said. "Friends tell each other everything, don't they?"

            "Sure we're friends, Sasami," Tenchi said, moving towards her. "I just thought they wanted the privacy."

            "So who else knows?"

            "Just Washu," Tenchi replied.

            "Oh, that's great," Sasami pouted. "I'm always the last to know everything."

            "That's not true," Tenchi said. "Mihoshi doesn't know, and neither do dad or grandpa."

            "But I should know," Sasami said. "Ayeka is my sister. I should know everything about my sister. I know everything else."

            "But... You do?" Tenchi asked. "Like what?"

            "Well, for one thing, I know she doesn't shave her legs," the young princess said. "She had some sort of treatment ages ago that stopped all her hair from growing beneath her neck."

            "Really?"

            "And I know that she talks in her sleep," Sasami continued. "She says the strangest things, things like 'don't walk on that side, toushin' and 'please come closer, I can't take the suspense'. She also calls your name in her sleep, Tenchi."

            "She does?"

            "So why didn't I know about oneesan being a lesbian, when I know everything else?" Sasami asked.

            "Well, you know now," Tenchi said.

---------------

            Tenchi left Sasami to read Nobuyuki's magazines, at which Tenchi's nose had started to bleed. She had found the second issue of "Star Whores", entitled "Attack of the Boners", which features characters such as "Girth Hideous" and "Wang-o Foot-long". Apparently the first two episodes had come together, a complimentary package for his dad for being such a good customer. It left Tenchi quite disturbed.

            "There's just too much stuff going on lately," Tenchi said to himself as he wandered the house, looking for Ryoko. "Ryoko! Where are you?" he called.

            He went back upstairs, thinking she might be there. She probably knew he was looking for her, so probably was in Tenchi's room, splayed provocatively on the bed. The little alarm Ayeka had put on the door a while ago, Tenchi found out later, wouldn't let even Tenchi in after the room had been emptied, so it had to be removed. Therefore anyone could go in and out of the room again, even Ryoko.

            Tenchi pulled open the door to his room, only to see nothing had changed. Something was still not right, though, but again, Tenchi dismissed it. He closed the door and walked down the corridor, listening for any telltale noises to give Ryoko's presence away. As he approached Ayeka's room, he heard some faint noises from within. Sniffing back the droplets of blood already threatening to pour out of his nose as he remembered the last time he had heard noises from that room, Tenchi knocked on the door. After getting no response, he knocked louder, making sure that the person or people inside would know he was knocking. After still no response, Tenchi edged the door open and peeked in.

            Nothing. The room was devoid of people. The sounds had been coming from a radio set Tenchi had given Sasami on the six month anniversary of her arrival on Earth. After hearing some Earth songs, Sasami had been enticed by the different styles of music. Except rap, of course, as rap isn't so much singing as it is shouting to the background of a beat. But apparently, she still hadn't learned how to turn it off. Tenchi walked over, severely hoping no-one would catch him in there, and turned it off, before leaving the room to continue his search.

            After being unable to find the demon girl, Tenchi decided to stop looking for the time being. She would come back for lunch, which was in about ten minutes. In the meantime, however, Tenchi had nothing to do. Sasami was busy reading the magazines, and Ryoko and Ayeka were nowhere to be seen. Tenchi didn't really fancy talking to Sasami again. He really had to adjust before he could cope with her new hobby. But then that left only Washu and Mihoshi. Washu wasn't that bad, maybe, but just bad enough to make Tenchi not want to go into her lab at the moment, or indeed, ever. So Tenchi looked around for Mihoshi.

            Today was Thursday, so Mihoshi had the day off from patrol. She had two days off a week, the other one being Sunday. Not everyone has weekends. Mihoshi was outside, lying on the ground just in front of the house, almost asleep. Just enough to not hear anyone complain at her, but not enough to miss the lunch call. The Yukinojo had retreated to its resting spot in the lake. The water cleaned the hull of any dirt picked up while flying around at ten thousand miles an hour, and also helped in keeping some of the mechanisms lubricated, such as the fuel regulators and the wipers on the windows.

            Tenchi approached her spot, and was about to say something, but stopped himself. He just looked at her, laid out in front of him, clothes ruffled and hair untied. She was actually quite attractive.

            Tenchi leaned against the wall to continue his watching, but the wall was a bit too far away. He stumbled and hit his shoulder and head against the wall. "Ouch," he said. It didn't really hurt that much, so "ouch" was used instead of something more expressive.

            Mihoshi stirred and woke up, looking at Tenchi, who was trying his best to look as if he had just got there, and was going to wake her up to tell her something, instead of having watched her for a while. "Morning, Tenchi," Mihoshi said sleepily, getting up and stretching. "What's up?"

            "What? Oh, nothing," Tenchi said, inwardly cursing himself for having missed such an obvious thing as a wall. "Nothing at all. I'm just bored."

            "Why don't you do some more training with your grandfather?" Mihoshi suggested.

            "Oh, no," Tenchi laughed nervously. "I may have to train, but I do enjoy the bits when I'm not."

            "Oh, okay," Mihoshi replied. "So what do you want to do?"

            "Well, if I knew that, I wouldn't be standing here telling you I'm bored, now, would I?" Tenchi asked.

            "No, you probably wouldn't," Mihoshi agreed. "I know. How about you find Ayeka and Ryoko and do something with them? You usually get a lot of exercise at least, avoiding the backfire."

            "I don't think so," Tenchi said. "You know, I don't overly enjoy that kind of thing. And besides, even if I wanted to, I can't find them. I've looked everywhere, but it's as though they don't want to be found."

            "Yes," Mihoshi mused. "It's strange, isn't it? Those two have become very friendly recently."

            "Well, they are friends, even though they sometimes don't act like it," Tenchi added.

            "If I didn't know better, I'd say they're really good friends. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if they were in love with each other or something. Tenchi, are you okay? Did an insect fly into your mouth? That kind of thing happens to me sometimes. It's really annoying, don't you think? Oh, you haven't got it out yet, huh? Don't worry, it has to come out some time."

            Tenchi tried his hardest to bring his choking to an end, and succeeded. He gasped for air and tried to lower his pulse. "Mihoshi, you know?" he struggled to ask.

            "Know what?" Mihoshi replied innocently.

            Sasami's reading dad's books, and Mihoshi hasn't got a clue about anything Tenchi thought to himself. "Oh, nothing," he replied. "I was just thinking about something else." Boy, she doesn't know how close she is

            "Anyway, it is curious how they've been acting recently," Mihoshi continued. "Like last night, when Ryoko came back for dinner? She and Ayeka were really avoiding each other, as if they'd had a fight. Not a normal fight, though, but an actual one. Then, this morning, they're totally friends with each other for some reason."

            Yeah, me

            "What do you think, Tenchi?" Mihoshi asked. "Do you think Ryoko and Ayeka could be in love?"

            Tenchi promptly began to sputter. "I, uh, I, I wouldn't, can't, don't know," he managed. She noticed all that, and still doesn't get it? Unbelievable

            "I wonder why their moods changed so much overnight," Mihoshi pondered. "Someone must have talked to them, and got them to be friends again."

            "Maybe," Tenchi nodded, just listening to her.

            "Tenchi, you're acting kind of strange, even for you," Mihoshi said.

            "Thanks."

            "Are you sure you don't know anything about this? It is my job, you know, to find out things. A detective has to detect things, and a First-Class Detective like me had to do a lot of first-class detecting. You never know when some information will come in handy."

            "Can't you figure it out from what you know?" Tenchi asked. She knows a lot more than I thought. More than any of us thought. I wonder if she'll get it, or whether I should just tell her

            "Actually, I think I'll work it out later," Mihoshi said yawning. "I'm still tired."

            "Oh, okay then." At least Tenchi didn't run the risk of telling someone else what he knew, and getting another lecture from Washu.

---------------

            Speaking of Washu, as they went back in, the scientist was standing in the hallway. She had come out of her lab for lunch, and greeted Tenchi and Mihoshi as they came in.

            A few minutes later, Ryoko and Ayeka walked in together. They didn't say much to each other, and sat down at the table in their normal places. Tenchi looked sideways at each of them, and wondered what they'd been doing. Then he remembered Ryoko's absence during his shower, and decided to ask about it.

            "I was somewhere else," Ryoko replied. "I'm sorry I missed your shower, though. Still, maybe next time." She resumed eating.

            Tenchi shrugged and went back to his food. He couldn't tell what Ryoko really meant, if anything.

            Mihoshi was also observing, in her own special way. She could tell there was something deeper there, but she just noted it in her mind and carried on eating.

            Washu spoke up. "Hey, guess what?" she said, continuing before anyone could. "I've just finished my latest invention. It can change the physical appearance of any thing or person to any specifications. It's rather nifty. I call it the Shape Hub Intrical Transmogrifier."

            "So what's the abbreviation?" Mihoshi asked. "S... H..."

            "There is no abbreviation," Washu interrupted. "Nothing in life is worth abbreviations. They just take away the specialness of the thing, and my invention is very special. Anyone want to let me explain exactly how it works afterwards?"

            Not really. Or at all, actually. But Washu was only a little girl, after all. She'd be upset. But that didn't change their minds, though.

            Unfortunately, they would be given the demonstration later. Washu could be very... persuasive when she wanted to be. How else could she get people to pay attention to her, or get Tenchi into her lab so often?

---------------

            So as it turned out, they had all been politely shoved into the main room to watch the presentation. Washu's little invention turned out to be a small handheld laser gun, programmed by her supercomputer. It had the ability, as Washu said, to change the molecular arrangement and composition of any and all matter to any other selectable form, so changing the shape of it.

            Sasami had been exempt from this, as she had hurriedly made up an excuse not to be part of it, to the effect that she had to go shopping, despite having gone already two days ago.

            Ryoko and Ayeka stood next to each other behind the couch, on which sat Mihoshi, who was completely intrigued by this machine. Tenchi sat on the other couch, angled so as to look as though he was watching Washu, but could also watch Ayeka and Ryoko.

            "Can I have a victim... volunteer from the audience?" Washu asked. "Tenchi, care to go? I can change the size of anything you want, you know."

            Tenchi sighed and rolled his eyes at the obvious slightly hidden message in this.

            Mihoshi was amazed at this machine, and raised her hand.

            "Ah, a willing mug... person," Washu said. "Okay, just sit there and don't move at all. Maybe we can make that brain of yours a lot bigger."

            "Well, I just don't know what you mean, Miss Washu," Mihoshi said. "My brain is just as big as anyone else's here."

            "Well, your intellect, then," Washu conceded.

            "Nuh-uh," Mihoshi pointed out. "A person's intellect isn't made out of molecules, so you can't change it."

            "When did you suddenly become so knowledgeable about this kind of thing?" Washu spoke.

            "I've always been this knowledgeable," Mihoshi protested.

            "No, you haven't."

            "Have too."

            "Have not."

            "Have too."

            As this deeply intellectual conversation waged on, Ryoko whispered to Ayeka, and they both left quietly, so as not to disturb the genius and Mihoshi. Tenchi watched them go, and decided that was a really good idea. He got up and went to leave.

            "Where d'you think you're going?" Washu's voice called after him. Tenchi froze in mid-step and turned around slowly.

            "I thought the presentation was over?" he tried.

            "No," Washu said smugly. "If it was, something would be a different shape by now."

            "But how does this work, Miss Washu?" Mihoshi asked, holding the gun in her hand and waving it around, up until now unnoticed by the red-haired girl. "Do I just pull this trigger here?"

            "After you've programmed what you want the target to turn into, yes," Washu said. "Until then, the trigger's useless."

            "Oh, I see," Mihoshi trailed off, giving the trigger an experimental squeeze. A flash of light burst out from the end and hit a flowerpot, which promptly glowed a brilliant white and quickly changed its shape, reappearing as a fluffy white rabbit. The rabbit twitched its nose and looked around.

            Washu yelled. "What have you done?" she shouted. "It wasn't even programmed! There was no way you could have been so clumsy as to get the control panel to appear. And how did you get it to create living beings from inanimate objects? That's impossible!"

            "I'm sorry, Miss Washu, I just fired it, that's all," Mihoshi said.

            "Give it to me now!" Washu demanded. "Ah, hold it by the barrel. With your left hand. Now give it to me."

            Mihoshi did so, but as she was handing it over, it fired another burst of light at Mihoshi's foot. Her shoe turned into a box of tissues.

            "You know, you really shouldn't be so mean, Miss Washu," Mihoshi sniffed, taking the box off her foot and taking a tissue out. "I was only looking."

            Tenchi wisely decided that now would probably be a great time to leave. "I'm, umm, getting a drink," he said, backing quickly out of the room.

            Washu took no notice, as she had called up her laptop and was busy trying to figure out what the hell Mihoshi had actually done.

---------------

            Tenchi backed his way into the kitchen and turned around. It was empty. He decided that he was actually thirsty, and went to get a drink. As he was opening the cupboard, he heard a muffled voice from outside the kitchen door that led to the garden. Being, in the interest of making this story more interesting, forever curious, which probably has already been mentioned, Tenchi crouched down behind the door and pressed his overhearing ear to the door.

            It was Ryoko and Ayeka. Catching a conversation part way through wasn't good for the understanding of the whole, but Tenchi really didn't care. He just wanted to hear what they were talking about.

            "Good points," Ayeka's voice trailed through the wooden door. "We wouldn't have to keep hiding all the time."

            "But of course the main problem against is..." Ryoko trailed off.

            "The men," they both said.

            "Nobuyuki and my brother probably wouldn't let it go easily," Ayeka said. "Yosho would always be telling me that I would have to fulfil my role as First Princess."

            "And Nobuyuki would spend every free second trying to catch us with a video camera or something," Ryoko said.

            "But the main thing is: do we want to?" Ayeka said. "Should we reveal ourselves to everyone?"

            "You mean come out of the same closet?" Ryoko asked. "Call to everyone from our same side of the fence? Shout out as we swing togeth..."

            "Enough of that," Ayeka said.

            "Okay."

            There was silence. Tenchi pressed himself against the door harder, trying to hear if they'd lowered their voices. But doing this left him completely vulnerable to falling over as the door was opened.

            Tenchi lay on his back, facing the two women who were towering above him. Both had serious faces and narrow eyes, with no mouth opening visible. Tenchi smiled and laughed nervously, before clearing his throat and standing up.

            "Lost my balance," he said, brushing himself down.

            "I'll bet you did," Ryoko said.

            "So what did you hear?" Ayeka asked.

            "How much should I have heard?" Tenchi asked slowly, his eyebrows dancing around on his forehead, asking for clues as to what to say.

            No clues, unfortunately. Tenchi just laughed nervously again and stepped back inside, setting his sights back on that drink. The other two followed him in and sat down at the table, still watching him.

            "What? What is it?" Tenchi asked, getting rather uncomfortable at the staring.

            "How much?" Ryoko asked.

            "Oh, er," Tenchi started. "Just the points against?" he trailed off, hoping he'd got the right answer.

            "Oh," Ayeka said. "Okay then."

            They both stood up, and Ryoko floated over to him, grabbing his arm. "So what do you think, Tenchi?" she asked, her voice a completely different tone now. "Should us two come out or not?"

            "You and Ayeka?" Tenchi asked. "Well, I really don't know. Some of us already know, don't we?"

            "Mihoshi doesn't," Ayeka said, walking over to Ryoko and firmly extracting her off Tenchi's arm.

            "Is that all?" Tenchi asked.

            "Well, and your father and my brother," Ayeka added.

            "So how did Sasami find out?" Tenchi asked. "I know she knows, but I don't know how she found out."

            "It's a complicated and strange story," Ryoko said, taking Ayeka off Tenchi's arm and resuming her place there. "I'm not going to say."

            Ayeka shook her head as Tenchi looked in her direction. Ryoko pulled the princess off again, more forcefully this time.

            "So..." Tenchi started. "Are you going to start fighting now?" he asked wearily.

            "Not if I can help it," Ayeka said, pushing Ryoko away from Tenchi. "Unlike Ryoko here, I have some restraint."

            "Is that why you are how you are?" Ryoko asked. "Never taking a decisive step? Is that why you've never asked Tenchi out?"

            "That is not it at all," Ayeka replied, getting angry. "I am merely waiting for the right time, that's all."

            "You were going to ask me out?" Tenchi asked.

            "And when is the right time?" Ryoko asked, completely ignoring Tenchi. "The day after never?"

            "No," Ayeka retorted. "Although you did say I could go first. I'm just trying to annoy you, by taking as long as I can."

            "Ask me out?" Tenchi repeated, still trying to figure this out. "You still like me?"

            "Well, if that's the case, I'll just take that back," Ryoko said. "I want to ask him out just as much as you, you know. If you're going to take forever, I might as well ask him out while you're waiting."

            "No way!" Ayeka exclaimed. She turned to Tenchi, as did Ryoko.

            "Tenchi, will you go out with me?" the both asked. They glared at each other. "We could go to the cinema," Ryoko said, at the same time that Ayeka said: "We could go to a restaurant."

            "You're asking me out?" Tenchi asked.

            "Well, yes," they both said.

            "Me? Asking me out? You?"

            "Yes..." Ryoko said. "You do understand, don't you? Women ask men out all the time."

            "It's how the majority of relationships start on Jurai," Ayeka said.

            "But it's different here," Tenchi said. "The men ask the women out."

            "Oh." Ayeka and Ryoko looked at each other.

            "So you still like me then?" Tenchi asked.

            "Of course, Tenchi," Ryoko said, grabbing his arm again and resting her head on his shoulder. "Of course we still love you."

            Ayeka held his other arm. "Yes, we love you just as much as before. I just love you more."

            As Ryoko pulled faces at the princess, Tenchi thought about this. "But I thought you loved each other?"

            "We do," Ryoko said. "We also love you."

            "Oh great," Tenchi muttered to himself. "A love triangle. I've read about this kind of thing, and it's never been good."

            "Excuse me?" Ayeka asked.

            "Oh, nothing," Tenchi replied, politely removing the women from his arms. "So, what, we all love each other, is that it?"

            "You love us?" Ryoko asked.

            "Damn," Tenchi muttered. "I was hoping they wouldn't catch that."

            "Do you really love us?" Ayeka asked, stepping forwards.

            There really was no way to get out of admitting this one, aside from claiming insanity. Although arguably he was, for letting five alien girls live with him after the two he was facing had both tried to kill him the first time they met, Tenchi decided against that course of action.

            "Maybe?" Tenchi muttered quietly.

            "Is that a yes?" Ryoko asked.

            "Maybe?" Tenchi repeated, his voice even more desperate for something to happen to interrupt this rather uncomfortable confrontation. Sorry, Tenchi. Even animé has to have its emotionally deep bits. Nothing's going to interrupt you now.

            "Maybe we can sort something out with this," Ryoko said.

            "L... like what?" Tenchi asked uneasily. "What are you thinking of?"

            "So we all love each other, right?" Ryoko said. "So, what I was thinking of is this: that love triangle thing you were on about."

            "You... you heard me say that?" Tenchi asked.

            "What, you think these big ears are for nothing?" Ryoko replied. "I can hear lots of things normal humans can't, apparently. Right now, I can even hear your heartbeat, Tenchi."

            Tenchi's heart was indeed pumping more than the usual amount of blood, and he hadn't even done any marathon running today. All this blood was going somewhere, somewhere Tenchi really didn't want it to go. His head was pounding with all the extra blood swirling through it, giving him a headache.

            "Wait," Ayeka said. "A love triangle? Don't those things always end badly?"

            "Only when not everyone knows about it," Ryoko replied, speaking to Ayeka while Tenchi stood still, his long-forgotten drink on the side. "We all know that we all love each other, so if we all agree, it's okay, right?"

            You know, Ryoko and Ayeka seem to have become a lot more lenient when it came to talking about each other and their affections for whomever, not as bothered when the other talked about loving Tenchi. Maybe, well, you know, it does that to people. Or maybe they know they've got more options now. Whatever. That's just a side point anyway.

            While the two women talked, Tenchi caught sight of his drink. He took a few seconds to realise what it was, and then he picked it up and took a big mouthful. His throat had very quickly become very dry.

            "Tenchi, how do you feel about threesomes?" Ryoko asked spontaneously. Ayeka glared at her, shocked and surprised.

            Tenchi, his mouth full of liquid and about to swallow, forgot to, and half choked, half drowned trying to spit it out. The drink came spurting out of his mouth as a drop of blood trickled from his nose. It was back to its usual tricks again, that nose.

            "Ryoko?" Ayeka exclaimed. She was actually speechless. She couldn't express how she felt about what Ryoko had just said.

            "What?" Ryoko replied. "It's just an idea."

            "Ryoko," Tenchi gurgled, some of the liquid still in his mouth, but Tenchi had forgotten to swallow it. "What did you say?"

            "What?" Ryoko repeated. "Oh, is this one of those taboo things?" she asked. "Well, I don't know, do I? I've been stuck in a cave for seven hundred years, haven't I? People tend to lose their sense of moral code when that happens to them."

            When she got no reply from the other two, who were still in shock at what the demon had just said, she walked towards the door. "You just think about it, though, okay? It's the only idea we've had, after all." She left.

            Of course they were going to think about it. It's not as though they could forget it, after all. I mean, what an idea, ne?

            As Ayeka and Tenchi stood there in an embarrassed silence, involuntarily thinking about Ryoko's idea and glancing at each other slightly, only to find the other doing the same, causing them to quickly look elsewhere, a fresh shade of blush on their faces, time continued its ever-relentless trudge, turning everything that passed through it into history, although probably not interesting history and so not something an average person would probably learn in their history lessons. No, they would be completing their forty-seventh bad drawing of a trebuchet or learning about some of the very many wars to choose from instead.

            The noise Tenchi made when he cleared his throat, being a throat-clearing kind of noise, caught the attention of the purple-haired princess, who was more than eager to be distracted by anything, no matter how seemingly dull or boring.

            Tenchi looked back at her, and they ended up looking into each other's eyes for a moment. Then, unwelcome, Ryoko's idea came back to them. A brief second looking at the other's body and imagining what it looked like without the clothes, or just recalling images in Tenchi's case (he had seen plenty of that kind of thing at the onsen, he would thank you) made them start to blush hotly again, and fairly sharpishly look for something, a fly, the sink, anything to look at that didn't look and blush back.

            Clearly this could have gone on for a long time, and seeing as how in each cycle Tenchi's nose would start to bleed, eventually he wouldn't have any blood left in his body, and so he would actually die. This is why Tenchi decided to break the sequence.

            "Umm..." he tried.

            Ayeka's gaze immediately refocused on him. She hoped he would say something soon to distract her, because Ryoko's idea just wouldn't leave her alone, and while imagining Tenchi's body wasn't at all bad to her, she would prefer not to blush any more.

            "Ayeka?" Tenchi continued, really trying to think of something to say before his nose started bleeding yet again.

            "Yes?" Ayeka helped him along.

            "Well..." Tenchi said slowly. You could almost hear the "dot dot dot".

            "What is it?" Ayeka asked, which in itself deserved some sort of reward. She had managed to link more than one word together into a coherent question. Ryoko's suggestion really had regressed them, making such simple things as talking quite a challenge. That was annoying.

            "About Ryoko," Tenchi replied, he too managing more than one word at a time now. "What she just said..."

            The topic of conversation just had to be that, didn't it?

            "What do you think?" Ayeka jumped in, wanting Tenchi's opinion before bothering to come up with one of her own.

            "Well, umm..." Tenchi trailed off. Damn he was thinking. She took my question "I'm not sure," he said, smiling inwardly at this obviously uncommitted answer. It was the epitome of Tenchi, the amount of indecisiveness that was in it. "What about you?"

            "Me?" Ayeka asked. "I don't know either. I don't normally think about such things. It's not suitable for my position as First Princess of Jurai."

            "But didn't I tell you that kind of thing means nothing here?" Tenchi asked.

            Yes, you did Ayeka thought. And you have no idea how hard it is for me to not think about it every seven seconds

            "Anyway, I asked what you thought about it," Tenchi said, "not whether it was suitable for a Juraian princess."

            "What I think?" Ayeka repeated. "Well, would it really be that unusual? Many people do that kind of thing all the time. Even my father has two wives."

            "But my life isn't very usual anyway," Tenchi said. "And besides, you said so yourself: 'You and I are related by noble blood'. I mean, that's just incest, isn't it?"

            "But we were born seven hundred years apart," Ayeka replied.

            "Yeah, but my great grandfather is your dad. You're like, my great step aunt or something. Is that right? Step great-aunt? And besides, you sound like you're arguing for this thing."

            Ayeka turned and blushed at a wall. She heard Tenchi behind her hop up onto the table, sitting with his legs dangling over the side. He quickly hopped off again and spoke.

            "Why are we in the kitchen?" he asked. "There's so many more comfortable places to be. Come on."

            They walked back into the main room. Mihoshi, looking rather dazed and rubbing her head softly, was lying on one couch. Behind her, the door underneath the stairs closed fairly loudly. Apparently Washu's lecture was over. Tenchi took a quick glance to see if the flowerpot was back, which it was, although now sporting some green flowers instead of the red ones before. Mihoshi was also wearing both shoes again. Ayeka and Tenchi sat down on the other couch, as Mihoshi made herself comfy and decided to get some rest. Soon, being about ten seconds later, Mihoshi's deep breathing and slight snoring sounds gave away the fact that she was sleeping.

            Tenchi was amazed at how Mihoshi could just go to sleep so suddenly wherever she wanted. But, rather than dwell on that, his thoughts wandered to Ayeka, forcing him to turn and look at her before he realised what he was doing.

            "Ayeka?" he asked.

            "What is it, Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka replied.

            "Where were you just before lunch?" Tenchi asked, yet again wanting to know more than he really should. If Washu had heard, he would be getting another talk and a few dozen more stone gnomes on the head.

            "Where was I?" Ayeka asked, repeating the question, apparently to stall for time. "I went out for a walk. I felt like having a stroll, you know, stretch my legs, think about things."

            "What things?" Tenchi blurted out.

            "Private things," Ayeka said, glaring slightly at her male love. "Personal things, things that I shouldn't tell you."

            "Sorry," Tenchi apologised. There was a pause.

            "If you really must know," Ayeka said, "I was thinking about us."

            "What about us?"

            "It's... nothing," Ayeka said, turning to look out of the window. "Forget it."

            Of course, Tenchi wouldn't. He knew there was something he didn't know. Darn human curiosity.

            "I remember," Tenchi started. Ayeka looked at him again. "I remember, about six months ago."

            "When we all arrived here?" Ayeka asked.

            "That's right." Tenchi looked out of the window over the lake. "Ryo-Ohki and Ryu-Oh crashed in the lake, and you were stranded here."

            "You let us stay," Ayeka said. "Despite everything that happened, you were still nice enough to let us live with you."

            "And shortly after, you hurt your leg," Tenchi continued. "I helped you to shelter from the rain, and then we went down to see grandpa's treeship."

            "I remember," Ayeka said. "I gave you Tenchi-ken back. It is strange, though, that the name of the sword is also your name, Tenchi."

            "Yes, it is a strange coincidence, isn't it?" Tenchi said. "But just before that, as we were making our way over the stones to the tree, when you slipped."

            "You caught me," Ayeka said. "And there was an awkward pause."

            There was another awkward pause just now. Strange, that.

            "What were you thinking about, Ayeka?" Tenchi asked. "As I was holding you. If you don't mind, what were you thinking about?"

            "I was thinking about..." Ayeka said slowly. "I was thinking that it might not be quite so bad on Earth after all. Sasami was there, too, and I had an excuse to relax, for the first time, well, pretty much ever. Why? What were you thinking about?"

            "As I remember," Tenchi said, "I was thinking that my school had blown up, my life was invaded by three alien girls and a small furry animal that I've never seen before, and that I was probably never going to be normal again. But, holding you, I thought that all that didn't really matter as much, and what really did matter was that I had some new friends. Okay, not the average kind of friends, sure, but even then I still thought a lot about you."

            "Were you..." Ayeka asked. "Were you attracted to me then?"

            "I honestly don't remember," Tenchi replied. There was another pause. "Were you?"

            "Was I attracted to you then?" Ayeka said. "I don't know. But I know I'm attracted to you now, so much. And it's not some silly crush or anything, either. I really feel that I'm in love with you."

            Tenchi didn't really know what to say about this. "Oh," he managed. He thought for a moment, leaving Ayeka waiting to know what he thought. "Ryoko said before, she said she let you go first. What was all that about?"

            "It's sort of complicated," Ayeka replied. Seeing Tenchi's expression, one of expectance and warmth, she continued. "But I guess I'll tell you now."

---------------

            In Washu's lab, as each chapter always seems to finish in, Washu was busy tightening a bolt on a machine, which was probably either a super-powered fruit juicer, or another galactic destroying device. Oh, wait, it said on the side. "Bi-dimensional Animificator". Whatever that was.

            Washu stood up and looked at her latest creation. "My Bi-Dimensional Animificator. Probably my greatest invention this week. No, this month. I'll give it a test later." She stopped and turned her head, as if trying to listen to something. "Maybe I should check on what's going on up there. Probably something important. It's interesting; I get this feeling every time something significant may have happened, like it's the end of a chapter or something."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

As before, please review this. Tell me what you think.


	4. End 1 : End and Entertainment

Mind Swap, Chapter 4alpha (The One with the First End)

"End and Entertainment"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            And time split.

---------------

            Space, according to anyone you ask, is big. But rather than trying to describe exactly how big it is, a good given is that it is very big, much bigger than a typical American car, thank you. So, with that given, any two people meeting each other in this vast large bigness of space has very small odds indeed. Further, any six people and a part-time-spaceship little furry thing meeting each other has even less odds. These odds are, as any reputable (and most disreputable) scientist will tell you, micro-infinitesimal. And once we get to these sized odds, we are in the realms of so-called fantasy and imagination. And this is where animé comes in.

            Of course, the characters very rarely know exactly what they are, being hundreds and thousands of painted animation cells as they are. And indeed, why should they? It would just spoil the fun of an otherwise enjoyable series or film. And this is exactly the reason the characters here have no idea that their actions are being written for them, their every word and gesture determined by someone else, someone sitting in front of a keyboard, staring blindly at the computer monitor, their eyesight long-ago shattered. Someone with a lot of spare time on their hands.

            This is, of course, digression, designed purely to make the reader wait in anticipation for the next actual part of the storyline, a relatively minor inconvenience in similar stories pairing two people from animé of the same gender, even if they may not be from the same series. Although in these stories, the grammar, spelling and dialogue tend to be fractured, and sometimes nonexistent. Still, not everything can be like this. There'd be no fun.

            Even so, Tenchi and Ayeka were still sitting in the main room next to a sleeping Mihoshi, Ayeka explaining exactly what Ryoko meant when she said that Ayeka could "go first".

            "Well, that's not complicated at all," Tenchi said, sagging back into the couch after Ayeka finished.

            "Maybe I told it wrong," Ayeka suggested.

            "Ryoko wanted you to be with me first, so that she could be with me second, and hopefully I would realise that being with Ryoko was better," Tenchi said. "Hardly the stuff of conundrums."

            "It seemed a lot more complicated before I told you about it," Ayeka said, shuffling towards Tenchi slightly and sagging into the couch next to him. "I remember... it was mostly about dignity."

            "What, you're a princess and it just wouldn't be right?" Tenchi asked, a slight mocking tone to his voice. "It might be vaguely incest if things possibly developed that far? Hey, you were downsizing the incest thing before, not me," he added as he saw Ayeka's expression.

            Ayeka looked at him for a few seconds longer, then smiled. Then she started giggling, which soon gave way to laughing.

            "Hmm, what?" Tenchi asked, beginning to chuckle himself. Laughter is indeed infectious.

            "Oh," Ayeka said, looking away from him and waving her hand at him, trying to catch her breath. "Oh, that's it. That's exactly it. The princess bit, it was just about that."

            "What's so funny?"

            "I just heard it," Ayeka replied, looking back at Tenchi. "I was thinking about it for ages, but when you said it, I suddenly realised that it was all just completely stupid." She broke out into more fits of giggling.

            Okay, Tenchi wasn't getting this.

            "Okay, I'm not getting this," Tenchi said. "I never really understood it anyway, not being a princess and all."

            "It's just the way you said it," Ayeka said, calming herself down now, but with a wide smile still on her face. "The way you said it, I realised how unimportant it all was. You said yourself, didn't you? No-one knows who I am on this planet, so I don't have to go around holding up my reputation and the family name and all that, right?"

            "I... guess," Tenchi ventured.

            "Even my father met mom Funaho on this planet," Ayeka said, "so he can't have been doing much in the way of holding up his reputation here, either."

            "And... we are where, now?" Tenchi asked. "What's the verdict?"

            "I'm not going to bother about it any more," the princess said indignantly, the smile still on her face, but fading. "On this planet, I am just another normal person, like anyone else here."

            "I hope you don't mean 'here' as in this house," Tenchi replied, "because I don't think anyone here is normal. No offence."

            Ayeka's smile brightened again. "I meant on the planet," she said. "And with being normal, it means I can fall in love with whoever I want, Tenchi."

            Tenchi's breath suddenly decided to catch in his throat. He tried coughing it out, but it wouldn't move so easily. He coughed again and again, and the block disappeared.

            "Are you okay?" Ayeka asked, with the worried tone many people have when asking that question.

            "Fine, thanks," Tenchi replied. "I just, erm, I've never heard you speak so freely about things like that before."

            "But I'm normal now," Ayeka said. "Didn't you hear me?"

            "Sure I did," Tenchi replied. He looked over at the far wall, contemplating something.

            Ayeka looked over at where Tenchi was staring, but it was just a wall. She raised her eyebrows questioningly at her love.

            "If you're normal," Tenchi said slowly, as if unsure of what he was saying, "you don't need to wear those princess clothes, do you?"

            For a second, Ayeka looked shocked and horrified, but that quickly dissolved into yet another smile.

            "You're right," she said. "I'll just go change, then." She got up, and turned back towards Tenchi. "You know, I don't think I've ever been so relaxed and happy," she reflected.

            Tenchi smiled at her. "The others'll have a fit when they see you wearing normal clothes," he said. "You might want to think about saying something about that."

            "I will," Ayeka replied, "between thinking about you, of course." Smiling a final time, she turned and walked upstairs.

            Tenchi choked again and pulled at his collar, trying to loosen it. If this was a cheesy Walt Disney cartoon, steam would have shot out from inside his clothes. Luckily, it isn't and it didn't.

---------------

            Ayeka was walking quickly to her room, desperate to reach it to release the full extent of her blush in private, but equally desperate not to trip up over her princess garments. That would just waste more time, during which the blush was threatening to come out. She reached the door and half stepped, half dived in, sliding the door quickly shut behind her.

            And that was when the red cheeks came. She collapsed on her bed, really not believing how bold and flirtatious she had just been. It was so not like her.

            "Well, I'm normal now," she said to herself. "This is what normal girls are like."

            Shaking her head free of any foreboding thoughts about people's reactions to her new appearance and attitude, she got up and walked over to the large wardrobe, opening it to hunt for plain clothes, something she could wear without looking royal.

            "Ah-hah!"

---------------

            Somewhere deep in the recesses of Washu's laboratory, a click. There was no-one in there with the click; it just happened by itself. A machine stirred invisibly; two miniature cogs in the heart of the creation began to spin slowly.

---------------

            Ryoko drifted through the window door into the Masaki house, without bothering to open it first. She spotted Tenchi, who was still sitting on the couch. At the moment he was looking at Mihoshi. You know, in the right light, Mihoshi was actually quite attractive, and Tenchi was really picking up on this.

            "What you looking at, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked sweetly.

            Tenchi jumped and quickly turned to look at Ryoko instead, nearly seriously breaking his neck in the process.

            "Oh, hi, Ryoko," he replied. "What's up?"

            "I was just wondering if you'd thought about what I said," Ryoko said, floating over to Tenchi and sitting down almost on his lap. "Well?"

            "Well, I, uh," Tenchi said, "I haven't made any decisions about that yet."

            "Of course not," Ryoko sighed. "So what were you talking about?"

            "What do you mean?"

            "With Ayeka, of course," Ryoko said. "I know you were talking just now. I saw you."

            "You were spying on us?" Tenchi asked disapprovingly.

            "Not really," the demon replied. "It's just that the wall over there really is one big window, you know? Anyone could see the entire room from anywhere outside."

            "Oh."

            "Well?"

            "Well what?"

            "What were you talking about?"

            "We were just talking. But you'll find out soon enough," Tenchi said. "And boy, are you going to be surprised," he added quietly.

            "Why's that, Tenchi?"

            "Umm, because it's really surprising," Tenchi said slowly, choosing his words carefully. Caught off guard by Ryoko's heightened hearing, he didn't have a justification phrase prepared.

            "We'll see," Ryoko said. "There's not much that can surprise a space pirate like me, you know. Now, while Ayeka's away, the cat will play, ne, Tenchi? Let's have some fun."

            "Uhh, like what?" Tenchi nervously asked. While, okay, she was attractive in many ways, and yes, Tenchi was kind of secretly attracted to her, as he was to all the girls, Ryoko's reputation left little to feel safe about.

            "Oh, just fun, Tenchi," Ryoko said, in a voice that was nearly close to purring.

            "I, uhh, I don't think so," Tenchi said hurriedly, scrambling up off the couch. "Umm, what about Mihoshi? She's still sleeping."

            Ryoko pouted. "What were you thinking I was going to say? That we could just get down to the thing we both want to happen right here? Even I'm too sensible for that."

            "Oh." Tenchi relaxed slightly.

            "Why don't we go somewhere private and do it instead?" Ryoko asked, a wide grin on her face.

            "Wha, what?" Tenchi spluttered.

            "Come on, now," Ryoko said, standing up. "You know I like you, and I know you like me. It's just natural that we'd want to be with each other, and to share happiness with each other, isn't it? Right?"

            "I really don't think we should be talking about this," Tenchi said, backing away now.

            "Oh, come on," Ryoko said, beginning to advance on him. "Just give in to your urges; you know you want to. It'll be fun, I promise."

            Ryoko leapt forwards and tackled Tenchi to the ground, but wrapping her arms round him so he didn't land hard. They were in that position, Ryoko upon Tenchi, their faces inches from each other's, when someone cleared their throat. It wasn't Ryoko, Tenchi knew; Ryoko's mouth was pursed and closing in on his. Tenchi darted his eyes sideways and caught a vague sight of someone with a fair amount of purple hair.

            "Ayeka," Tenchi said, pushing Ryoko off him and standing up. His next words would have been "It's not what it looks like, really", but he had just seen her clearly, so he stood still and stared, the words he was going to say changing to "uhhhh".

            Ryoko looked at the princess too, and was suddenly so surprised that she forgot to stand on her feet as she was getting up. She fell down, still looking at the person in front of her.

            It was Ayeka, but she looked so different it was hard to tell. She was wearing a small V-neck yellow-cream short-sleeve shirt that finished halfway down her body, revealing most of her abdomen. The ice-blue pants covered her legs tightly, leading down to the sandals she always wore, out of which poked bare toes. Her hair, which Tenchi had never seen unfastened before, was set loose down her back, waving around as she looked from one person to the other. Her head ornament, which Tenchi had been told was her Key for Ryu-Oh, was gone, revealing her entire forehead and the single round green gem embedded in it.

            "So," she asked, "what do you think?"

            Ryoko gaped openly at her, while Tenchi made some kind of strange strangled sound.

            "That different, is it?" Ayeka asked.

            "Whe, where'd you get that?" Tenchi asked.

            "My wardrobe," Ayeka replied, blushing slightly from Tenchi's continuing stares.

            "But what were they doing in there in the first place?" Ryoko asked.

            "They were just there," Ayeka said. "I don't think it looks too bad, do you?"

            And at that moment, Mihoshi woke up, having been neglected for being asleep throughout the whole chapter so far. She did the customary yawning, stretching and rubbing her eyes, and looked around. Wondering what Tenchi was staring at, she swivelled in her seat, seeing Ryoko on her way around, also looking intently at what she now saw was Ayeka.

            "Wow, Ayeka, you look nice," Mihoshi commented, looking her up and down.

            "Oh, thanks," Ayeka replied.

            "Really, yes," Mihoshi said. "It's so different from what you usually wear, but it does look really good. But if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

            Leaving Tenchi to stare and Ryoko to shake herself out of it, Mihoshi got up and went outside to enjoy the late afternoon atmosphere, or, to put it another way, sleep outside.

            Ryoko was by now not staring any more. She crossed her arms and looked at Ayeka critically.

            "You know, I bet you're only doing this because you want to upstage me," she said. "There's no way a Juraian princess would wear that kind of thing."

            "But here on this planet I'm not a princess," Ayeka replied, "so I can wear whatever I want."

            "It's true," Tenchi mumbled, although the others may not have heard him.

            "But why are you so jealous?" Ryoko asked. "Is it because I came up with that idea and you didn't? You knew Tenchi would really like it, so you want to do something better than it, right? It's not working."

            "For your information," Ayeka said smoothly, "I'm dressed this way because Tenchi suggested it. This was his idea."

            Ryoko turned on Tenchi, who gave a little yelp and backed away into the couch, sitting heavily on it.

            "This was your idea?" Ryoko asked.

            "Y, yes?"

            "So that's what's going on in that mind of yours," Ryoko said. "You're more like a guy than you showed before."

            Please don't say, 'well, that gives me an idea' Tenchi thought.

            "Well," Ryoko continued, "I always knew you were a guy, and the guy for me. If you like that kind of thing, I wouldn't say no."

            And then she winked.

            And Tenchi knew he'd really have to be even more careful about what he said and did, in case Ryoko took that as a sign to dress up like... well, the less said about that, the better.

            Besides, Tenchi would think about that later.

            "It's not like that," Tenchi decided to say, and so he did. "Ayeka decided to not be a princess here, and just be a normal person, and I said that no normal Earth people would wear something like that, so she decided to change."

            "You didn't like the way I dressed?" Ayeka asked.

            Oh boy.

            "I didn't say that!" Tenchi exclaimed. "I just meant that if you just wanted to be a normal Earthling you might want to wear something more like what everyone else does. You heard me before. I forgot what I said, but I know it didn't come off bad, and I meant it. That's what I wanted to say."

            Tenchi was crying inside. Women really were a paradox.

            "Wow, Ayeka!" Sasami's voice broke the conversation. "Look at what you're wearing! That's amazing!"

            "Why, why's that, Sasami?" Ayeka asked, turning to face her little sister.

            "I just never expected you'd wear those clothes," Sasami replied. "I was thinking about throwing them out, but I'm not going to now. But why are you wearing them, anyway?"

            "I just felt like it," Ayeka replied, slightly unsure of explaining herself to her sister. "I've decided to not be so fussy about upholding my status here any more."

            "Good for you!" Sasami smiled. "It's about time you relaxed more. This is kinda like a vacation, isn't it?"

            "Yes, I suppose it is," Ayeka sighed happily.

---------------

            Click.

---------------

            Washu made a point of never getting worried. Worry was the forerunner to panic, and nothing good ever came from panic. Indeed, good things are to panic as meat is to a Chicken McNugget. They just don't come together.

            That's why the scientist wasn't worried, despite what was happening in front of her.

            What was happening was quite simple: her lab was blowing up. Well, more precisely, a rogue experiment had released a very destructive and intelligent version of energy flame, which was busy consuming its way through all the many machines and inventions Washu had left lying around over the centuries. The problem was, as soon as the flame made its way to a particular invention, the whole place would be sucked into a separate universe the size of a demiquark. That was both very small and not good.

            The scientist shrugged and summoned her laptop, one of her most favourite inventions, and tapped rapidly for a moment. A hole opened in space and what looked like a backpack vacuum cleaner popped out. She strapped it onto her back, took the hose with the wide nozzle attachment and turned to face the flame. Then she turned it on.

            The nearest flames were instantly sucked up into the nozzle, and the ones a bit further away were flickering towards it. Washu walked forwards, hoovering up all traces of the flame, despite its attempts to flee. Soon she had it all contained. She took the pack off and opened it up, removing the box inside and turning back to her laptop. Another hole appeared and Washu shoved the box through.

            "I hope you burn to death," Washu said as the box drifted through the opening. "Just look at the damage you've caused."

            It was possible for intangible things to take on form. Not mist or anything; it's still water vapour after all. Flames were intangible, as they were made up of nothing, which is why you can't have a lump of fire, as you can a lump of coal. It's also why it was so difficult to discover. How can you find something that doesn't exist? However, this crackling green flame was intelligent, and so immune to the rules of nature. This flame was grinning.

            As Washu shook her head and went around to start repairs and to identify the corpses of past experiments, there was a crackle. The flamed air the fire had created had drifted across to a particular machine. This flamed air was unique in that it was only produced when burnt by intelligent flame. And it was this air that was surrounding the machine, attracted to it.

            But as it turns out, Washu discovers this machine in about ten minutes and removes the burned air. It didn't do anything, and it didn't have any consequences. So much for an ominous background plot.

---------------

            Click.

---------------

            By now, time had progressed to the point when dinner was served and eaten. So it was just as well that everyone was sat around the table, eating.

            Mihoshi was sniffing. "Something smells burnt," she commented.

            "It's not the food," Sasami said.

            "It's probably me, then," Washu said. "I had a bit of fire trouble in the lab earlier. I took care of it though, but twelve of my experiments are write-offs now."

            "I'm sorry," Tenchi said. "Your experiments mean a lot to you, don't they?"

            "Where've you been this past half year?" Washu asked. "Course they do."

            "Did they do anything important?" Ayeka asked.

            "Only most of them," Washu replied. "I could make them again, but that would take too long. Besides, you still haven't told me why you're dressed like that."

            "I just thought I would," Ayeka replied.

            "Good enough for me," Washu said, resuming her meal.

            Ryoko was eating with one hand, which was just as well with chopsticks, but it was her other hand that was bothering Tenchi immensely. There's just something off-putting about having your thigh stroked while you're trying to eat. Not for the first time, Tenchi reached down and removed Ryoko's hand.

            "Ryoko, stop it," he hissed. "I'm trying to eat."

            "If you want to eat you can spread jam over me later," Ryoko whispered back.

            It was a good think Tenchi wasn't swallowing, or he may have choked.

            "Excuse me," he apologised to the others. "Ryoko!" he hissed violently. "Cut that out!"

            "Is that pirate bothering you, Tenchi?" Ayeka asked from his other side.

            "No more than usual," Tenchi replied.

            "What? That's not true!" Ryoko said. "I'm bugging him a whole lot more."

            "Leave him alone, please," Ayeka said calmly. "There's really no reason for you to disturb him while he's eating."

            "Look, princess, we're trying to have a private conversation here," Ryoko said.

            "You may have forgotten, but I don't consider myself a princess at the moment," Ayeka replied. "Therefore you can't refer to me as such."

            "Therefore you can't use your princess powers," Ryoko mimicked. "I'm so going to win our next fight."

            "Please," Ayeka said. "Like you'd get into a fight with me now."

            "What's that like?" Royko asked.

            "Since we... talked," Ayeka replied. "Remember how Little Washu helped us with that machine the other day? I don't think you'll go around picking fights after you know."

            Tenchi couldn't be sure, but he was positive they were on about that mind swapping thing, and their love for each other, apparently. His thoughts were being distracted, however, by Sasami's continuous gaze at him.

            "Why are we talking about this here?" Ryoko asked. "It's not as though they understand, is it?"

            "Ryoko, it's rude to refer to people in the third person if they're there with you," Washu said.

            "You know what?" Ayeka asked Ryoko. "I may just announce it. I don't think there's any reason to keep it a secret now, especially since Tenchi knows."

            "What do you know, Tenchi?" Katsuhito asked.

            "Ryoko's a lesbian," Ayeka announced before Tenchi could fit a word in.

            And all round the table there was silence, only punctuated by the sound of chopsticks dropping onto plates, the table or the floor.

            "What?" Ryoko said, unable to believe Ayeka had just said that. It just goes to show how much she was changing. "That's bisexual! And you're one, too!"

---------------

            Click.

---------------

            While the rest of the extended family came to terms with this sudden news, something else was happening. It began in a remote corner of the house, barely noticed. The space around the centre of the disturbance was wobbling slightly as it tried to adopt different fundamental laws, or lack of such, rather. There were no laws in animé, were there?

---------------

            Click-click.

---------------

            Tenchi had managed to sneak away to his room after dinner, leaving the others to talk and periodically to hit his father. He slid the door shut and looked around.

            There was still something different there. Again, Tenchi had no idea what it was, but it was there, like a splinter in his mind, driving him crazy. There was just something wrong about it. About it all.

            Suddenly, a loud electric zap, like the sound of electrocution, spread out through the entire house, shutting everyone up and spreading around, engulfing the building in a bubble of crackling sounds. And then it spread.

            Instantly, the surroundings were different. For a moment, Tenchi thought he had been transported somewhere else, but it seemed he was still in his room. But his room was different. It was, for want of a better description, painted. It was like a backdrop for some school play, only he was in it. Some things had prominent black lines drawn around them, such as the envelope on the desk. But Tenchi didn't move to see what it was. He had noticed something much stranger.

            Tenchi's nose was sharp. It had a point to it, and bent out as it went down, as if it had been cut off and glued back on lower down, and only by the top of it. It looked like an exaggerated Michael Jackson nose. He reached his hand up to touch it, but stopped as he saw them. Those were strange hands. With black lines around them, and some kind of cell shading effect, they looked like a cartoon. Pausing to think about this, he hopped over to the mirror, and yelled.

            He was a cartoon. Black lines bordered his body, which was all cell shaded. He looked up and stared at his face. On one side of his nose was a large black triangle, which didn't come away when he rubbed it. His hair looked like it was all one part, not having any individual hairs. But his eyes... those weren't his eyes. They were huge, and they looked... they weren't his eyes.

            He caught sight of the envelope in the mirror. He turned and walked up to it.

            "Dearest Tenchi," he read, before picking it up and opening it. He quickly read the contents and his eyes widened even more. Sasami had written it.

            He paused to think about it for a moment, but was interrupted by several yells from downstairs. Tenchi dropped the note and sprinted downstairs, slightly noting the similarly-styled background as he went. He skidded to a halt as he caught sight of the others.

            They were cartoons. All of them. Ayeka's face was almost completely white. Ryoko's hair sprouted around everywhere to fill a large part of space, as did Washu's. Sasami's plaits rose unconvincingly into the air before falling down her back. Nobuyuki's moustache looked painted-on, as did Katsuhito's wrinkles. Mihoshi was almost completely brown, instead of just the strong tan she usually had. And as for Ryo-Ohki... They were all cartoons, and they were all staring at Tenchi in the same way he was looking at them.

            Tenchi: _(confused)_ What?

            There was a long pause as everyone was puzzled at how that had come out.

            Ryoko: What's going on?

            Washu: _(apologetically)_ I think this is my fault. One of my inventions, the Bi-dimensional Animificator, must have accidentally started by itself. It creates a field, and everything inside it is converted to an animé style. That's why we look how we do, and why just my mouth is moving, and not even my jaw.

            Mihoshi: Can we get out of this field?

            Washu: I think so. It is a very complex machine, and it may have done some things I'm not aware of. I don't even know how it could have activated by itself.

            Ayeka: I think we should try it.

            Everyone got up and walked outside, where they saw something quite strange. The surroundings where they were looked painted and didn't move, but there was a line separating this from the normal world, which seemed to pass around the entire house. Cautiously they approached the divider.

            Ryoko: Anyone want to try it?

            Mihoshi: I will.

            Mihoshi reached out her arm and passed it through the surface of the invisible bubble that contained the animé world. As it passed through, it changed its appearance, losing the black lines and single colour shading, changing back to normal. The invisible barrier became visible around the penetration point, rippling as Mihoshi's arm remained there. Carefully, Mihoshi stepped through the barrier to the other side. As she passed through it she returned to normal.

            "It's fine!" she called through.

            Ryoko shrugged and stepped through, she too returning to her normal form, her animé spiky hair dropping down to its normal position as it passed through. She waved the others to come.

            Ayeka and Sasami followed, but Tenchi, Washu and Katsuhito were hesitant.

            Katsuhito: Are you sure it's fine?

            "Yes," Ryoko replied. "We're back to normal now."

            Mihoshi collapsed to the ground.

            Tenchi: Mihoshi!

            Washu: Come back! It might not be safe!

            Katsuhito leapt through the barrier to help drag Mihoshi back through to the animé world. Ryoko, who was also pulling her back, collapsed too, and Ayeka grabbed her and heaved her through. They all made it back to the cartoon side, where Ayeka and Sasami collapsed as well.

            Washu: We should get them to my lab. Tenchi, can you take Ryoko and Mihoshi?

            Tenchi: I'll try.

            Katsuhito: I'll take Ayeka and Sasami.

            Washu: Good. We need to find out what happened quickly.

            Katsuhito hauled Sasami onto his back and toppled forwards. He was unconscious too. Tenchi and Washu looked at each other.

            Washu: Just take who you can. We'll come back for the rest.

            Tenchi nodded and started to pull Ryoko and Mihoshi towards the house, as Washu picked Ayeka up.

---------------

            Click-k-k-k.

---------------

            Tenchi: What happened back there, Washu?

            They were all now in Washu's lab, which too was in the realm of animé. As with the rest of the house, most things were just painted into the background, but some things stood out. The unconscious people were lying on metal beds in a line, where Washu was trying to examine them. She threw the device she was holding to the ground.

            Washu: _(angrily)_ Darn it! I can't scan them. This equipment was made for analysing real humans, not cartoons.

            Tenchi: Can't we just turn off this machine you made? Won't that turn us back to normal?

            Washu: I don't know. I just made it for the sake of making it. You could try, though. See if you can find it.

            Tenchi: What does it look like?

            Washu: Well, put it this way: it'll have black lines all round it, and it'll be somewhere over there. _(waves hand in a direction)_ That's where I've been putting my latest inventions for a while.

            Tenchi: Okay. I'll go look.

            Tenchi wondered off in the direction Washu pointed, looking around for anything more basically coloured than the rest of the things. For a moment he wondered what would happen if he tried to touch any of the background objects, but decided not to try. He looked round some more, and found something. He walked over to it. It was making a faint clicking sound, so he supposed that would be it. It was only small, and didn't look too heavy, so Tenchi picked it up and carried it back to Washu.

            Washu: _(looks up)_ Yes, that's it. That must be what's causing all this.

            Tenchi put the object down on a nearby desk.

            Tenchi: So how do we turn it off then?

            Washu: Try the button marked "Off".

            Tenchi reached over and pressed the little red button helpfully marked "Off". Nothing happened.

            Click-k-k-k.

            Tenchi: It's not working

            Washu walked over to it and hit it, opening her mouth to say something. Immediately she shifted position a bit, now facing Tenchi.

            Tenchi: What was that?

            Washu: _(confused)_ I was going to swear at the machine, but...

            Tenchi: Great. It's bad enough that we're in animé now, but we're in a censored version too?

            Washu: Must be American dubbing.

            Tenchi shrugged in agreement and looked the machine up and down.

            Tenchi: Can you dismantle it, or smash it or something?

            Washu: I can try...

            Washu summoned her laptop, which strangely looked more similar to how it did before than anything else did. She tapped at it and a heavy-looking stone statue fell on the machine. It smashed.

            Tenchi: _(looking at smashed statue)_ So, what now?

            Washu: If we can just get this manga machine to stop, I can scan the others properly and find out what's wrong with them.

            Tenchi: Please do it soon. I don't know how much longer I can stand looking out of these eyes. They're like super-powerful glasses or something.

            Tenchi wandered over to the unconscious group on the beds.

            Please get well soon he thought.

---------------

            Another hour, and everything was still animated. Tenchi was pacing the lab, while Washu was still busy coming up with an impromptu device that could tell if the others were fine.

            Tenchi: It's strange. Time just seemed to jump there. Next scene, probably.

            Washu mumbled something back at him, trying to concentrate. Because this was animé, every single law of physics, biology, chemistry and spatial exactment was erased. It was harder than it seemed, making a machine that followed no laws. It just wasn't coming together.

            The space around Tenchi's head instantly turned black, and a visible yellow bolt of lightning sparked its way across the blackness behind his head. The black disappeared. Tenchi had just thought of something.

            Tenchi: Washu, in animé, whenever there's a scientist or an inventor, there's always a machine they've made that's suited exactly for the problem the characters face, right? So, what if there's a machine around here, like a toaster or something, but we say it's a scanner. Would that work? I mean, every strange machine looks something like a toaster, right?

            Washu: Try it.

            Tenchi looked around and spotted outlines. He walked over and picked up the small device. It was small, rectangular and grey, and flipped open lengthways. Now, Tenchi had seen Star Trek™, and this reminded him of a Tricorder™ more than anything. He took it over to Mihoshi and waved it over her, the device making loudly annoying beeps and whistles as it did so. He looked at the display, which read "ALIVE". Excited, he waved it over the others, and read the same message several more times.

            Tenchi: Washu, they're alive!

            Washu: They are? Well, that's good to know.

            Tenchi: The only thing now is to stop this animachine.

            Washu: Hmm...

            Washu suddenly exclaimed. She walked over to the cause of their problems, took off a small panel on the back of it, and removed an AA 1.5V battery.

            Washu: The power source. I don't know why I didn't think of it before.

            Tenchi instantly upended and hit the floor with the side of his head. He became a blur as he quickly got back up and walked over to Washu.

            Washu: Ah, the legendary face-fault. It really does look as stupid as on TV.

            Tenchi: So when will we get back to normal, Washu?

            Washu: Any time now. It just needs to wind down and stop. I'm guessing once it does so, reality will return to normal.

            "Oh, good." Tenchi's eyes widened, even more so than they were already, as he realised he had spoken normally again.

---------------

            Outside, the barrier between the real world and the cartoon world rippled, before very quickly shrinking, leaving everything as it was originally.

            Washu's lab also rippled, and the toon field shrunk into the animificator. A green light on the top of the machine flashed twice, and the sound of a slow shutdown of something electronic was emitted.

            Everything was back to normal.

            Mihoshi stirred, yawned and sat up.

            "Did anything happen while I was asleep?" she asked.

---------------

            And now would be the last scene or two, showing everything is back to normal. It'd be the kind of thing to show that this is the last chapter of the series, a nice way of rounding it all off.

            But there's always an exception.

---------------

            Ryoko had Tenchi cornered, figuratively speaking, in the main room alone on the couch. She was hovering in front of him, looking directly at him.

            "You carried me to Washu's lab, didn't you?" she asked.

            "Y... yes?" Tenchi replied, not sure where this was going.

            "Did you try and sneak a fondle while I was out?" Ryoko asked. "Well, did you?"

            "O... of course not!" Tenchi exclaimed. "I wouldn't do that kind of thing."

            "Go after the ladies, you mean?" Ryoko asked, floating away and sitting in the coffee table.

            "That's not what I meant!" Tenchi said. "I meant I wouldn't try to take advantage of anyone."

            "So you do like women, then?"

            "Yes," Tenchi said irately. As if he could be mistaken for a, well, you know.

            "Oh, I'm so happy!" Ryoko cried, pouncing forwards and wrapping her arms, not for the first time, around his neck. She curled herself up to sit on his lap, nuzzling him with her head. "Oh my! Someone's pleased to see me," she said, shifting her position.

            Tenchi stood up, causing Ryoko to fall off. Ryoko floated around and sat on the couch next to Tenchi as he sat back down.

            "So were you worried about me?" Ryoko asked in a solemn tone.

            Tenchi looked up at her. "Of course. I was worried you were dead. We had no idea for about an hour." He looked down at his legs. "I didn't want to lose you, Ryoko, I really didn't. I don't know what I would have done if that scanner had said you weren't alive."

            Ryoko sat back, thinking about this.

            "I was so happy when you woke up," Tenchi continued. "When you all woke up. It wasn't fully reliable, that scanner."

            "Oh."

            There was a pause, as there always is in this situation. It provides some time to let all this sink in, for the viewer as well as the characters.

            "I need to go to the bathroom," Tenchi said, getting up.

            "Okay."

---------------

            Once Tenchi had finished up in the bathroom, made for the stairs. But as he passed Ayeka's room, she heard someone inside. He stopped and opened the door.

            "Ayeka."

            Ayeka looked up. She was still wearing her casual clothes, as she had since a bit after the start of this chapter, but she had one of her dresses wrapped around her.

            She looked scared.

            "What's wrong, Ayeka?" Tenchi asked, stepping forwards.

            "Nothing. It's... nothing." Ayeka turned away and curled up more on her bed.

            "We both know that isn't true," Tenchi replied, closing the door behind him and sitting on the bed next to Ayeka. "Tell me."

            "When I was unconscious," Ayeka said, "I dreamt something."

            "What?"

            "I can't remember," she said. "I just feel so alone now. Just... no-one else. I'm, I'm scared."

            "I'm here," Tenchi replied. "I'm always here if you need me. Please don't feel scared. I'll protect you."

            "Promise?" Ayeka looked up at him.

            "Of course I promise," Tenchi replied. "I love you."

            Ayeka stopped breathing, just slightly.

            "I love you too," she said, before grabbing him and holding him tightly. "Don't let go," she whispered.

            "Never," Tenchi said, holding her too. "I'll never let go."

---------------

            But they had to, some time. It was about the time Ryoko found them, and Ayeka quickly regained her former self. And after that, before everyone went to sleep, they sorted Washu out.

            Washu's machine was destroyed, the data eliminated, the blueprints burned, and her face drawn on in thick marker pen. All as punishment for making the stupid thing in the first place.

            "Aren't you going to bed, Tenchi?" Sasami asked as the others were leaving the lab.

            "In a second," Tenchi replied. "I just need to ask Little Washu something."

            "Don't be too long," the little girl said. "Goodnight, you two."

            "Goodnight, Sasami," Tenchi waved.

            Once she had gone, Tenchi turned to Washu.

            "What did you want to ask me?" the scientist asked.

            "Well, I was wondering if you could make everyone forget about what happened," Tenchi said. "I think it's best if no-one remembers any of this."

            "You mean, like Ayeka's announcement of being a bisexual?" Washu asked.

            "Umm, right. Anyway, if you can do that, that'd be great."

            "Sure I can. I am the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe, you know."

            "You may have mentioned that, yes. Anyway, I'll be going to bed. Goodnight."

            "Goodnight, Tenchi."

            Once Tenchi was out of the lab on his way to his room, Washu brought up her laptop.

            "Forget."

---------------

            By the time Tenchi woke up the next morning, half the house was a war zone. Amidst the sounds of shouting and an explosion here and there, he dressed and proceeded downstairs for breakfast. Of course, Ryoko and Ayeka stopped fighting, just momentarily, to greet him a good morning as he passed. And of course, this usual greeting provoked yet more fighting.

            "Morning, Sasami," he said as he entered the kitchen. He wandered over to the young girl and examined the food she was preparing.

            "Good morning, Tenchi," Sasami replied. "Nothing special for breakfast today."

            "And yet it's still better than anything I've ever tasted." Tenchi looked sideways at Sasami for a moment. "Sasami, has anyone ever told you that you are the most incredible person ever?"

            Sasami blushed, quite unsurprisingly. "Really?" she asked.

            "Absolutely," Tenchi replied. He crouched down slightly to come face to face with her. "You are one of the most amazing people I know."

            There was such a slight pause, and Sasami moved forwards and kissed him. On the lips.

            There was another pause, and then Sasami backed away, blushing furiously, and turned around.

            "Sasami," Tenchi said, unsure what had just happened.

            "That was right, wasn't it?" Sasami asked, cautiously turning back towards him. "That's what two lovers do, isn't it?"

            "Uh, lovers?"

            "Yes? You did say you thought I was amazing, didn't you?" Sasami started blushing a bit more.

            "I meant your cooking," Tenchi managed.

            Sasami silently gasped, then quickly turned around. "Oh, Tenchi, I'm sorry!" she said. "I thought..."

            "No, no, I like you as well," Tenchi said. "Of course I do. I just think of you as a sister."

            "So you don't love me?" she said.

            "Yes, I do," Tenchi told her. "I'd be insane not to."

            "Is breakfast ready yet?" Mihoshi called from the main room.

            Sasami's gaze flicked to the food, which was on the verge of being overcooked. She hurried over to it and hurriedly tried to sort it all out. "It's ready," she called out.

            "We should, um, probably talk later," Tenchi said, before moving over to the door.

---------------

            Tenchi found Ayeka looking around in the hall upstairs. "Ayeka, breakfast is ready," he said.

            "Oh, of course," Ayeka replied.

            "Okay." Tenchi looked round and promptly almost walked into Ryoko as he turned to go downstairs. She was standing upside-down on the ceiling, her head at the same level as Tenchi's. Tenchi quickly stepped backwards.

            "Oh, Ryoko. Breakfast is ready."

            "I know that," Ryoko replied. "I was just waiting for you to come get me. I know you wouldn't let me get hungry." She dropped down, spinning as she fell to land upright on the floor. "Hey, Ayeka! Early bird catches the Tenchi, you know!"

            "Now you listen here, Ryoko," Ayeka said. "Birds are adorable little creatures. The only comparison between you two is that you both fly!"

            "What do you mean, only comparison?" Ryoko said. "I'll have you know Tenchi thinks I'm just as adorable as any bird. Isn't that right, Tenchi?"

            "Lord Tenchi?"

            "Uhh..." Tenchi stalled. "Breakfast is ready. It's getting cold."

            "Yes, you're right," Ryoko said. "It doesn't need to be stated, does it? It's taken for granted that you prefer me over any princess."

            "Ryoko, you know that isn't true!" Ayeka said angrily. "Lord Tenchi would have said something were that true. As it turns out, he didn't."

            "Look, we all know how insecure you can be," Ryoko replied. "She really is so possessive, isn't she, Tenchi? Huh?"

            Tenchi had already left. They found him eating breakfast.

            "Tenchi, you left me alone with that woman," Ryoko said. "I can't believe you'd do something so mean." The big grin on her face slightly completely revealed that she wasn't being serious. "I thought you loved me the most, too."

            "I don't prefer any of you over the other," Tenchi said, reciting the phrase for the _n_th time. "I'm sure I've said that at least a hundred times before."

            "Maybe, but you might have changed you mind since. It never hurts to ask."

            "Well, I haven't," Tenchi replied. "I still like you both equally."

            "Tenchi, if you're not doing anything later, can we hang out?" Ryoko asked.

            "Sorry, I've got something to take care of," Tenchi said.

            "Tenchi, what could possibly be more important than me?" Ryoko asked.

            "Try anything!" Ayeka retorted.

            "Oh yeah?"

            "Yeah!"

            And that was the end of that conversation. The speaking did continue, but it was only insults being thrown across Tenchi by the two contenders. Tenchi sighed and looked over at the smaller princess. She was in a world of her own, and it didn't seem like an overly happy one.

---------------

            "Sasami, we should probably talk," Tenchi said. He had met up with her after breakfast in the kitchen. Ayeka and Ryoko were safely outside, arguing as usual. Mihoshi had gone on patrol, and Washu was in her lab yet again.

            "Do we?" Sasami said.

            "Yes." Tenchi pulled out a chair and sat down. "Sasami, of course I love you. I just think of you as my little sister, that's all."

            "Oh."

            "That came out a bit wrong, didn't it?" Tenchi paused, thinking of what to say. "Sasami, I think of you as the person I can tell anything to. Remember what happened earlier? That was... the first time."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah. The first time anyone had ever kissed me."

            Sasami blushed. "I didn't know that."

            Tenchi smiled. "You see? I feel that I can tell you these kinds of things. Trust me; in some ways, that's better than anything else. We can be just as close, and still be best friends."

            "You promise?"

            Tenchi nodded. "I promise. I'd never let anything bad happen to you, ever."

            "Tenchi." Sasami hurried over to him and hugged him. He hugged her back. Things were going to be all right.

---------------

            Later that day, while Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko were cleaning the shrine, Washu was in her lab, examining the latest data she had obtained.

            "Now that's interesting," she remarked. She got up and left her lab to go to the kitchen. She looked at the calendar there. It was the sort of calendar with one small page per day, and each page was ripped off once the day was over. "Oh," she said. "I wonder why anyone didn't notice this."

---------------

            Washu was waiting for them as the three shrine-cleaners returned home later that day. Next to her lay the calendar.

            "Oh, Tenchi, so glad you're back," she said, standing up.

            "Hello, Little Washu," Tenchi replied, somewhat slightly nervously. Perhaps that was because the two women currently flanking him were staring nuclear explosions at the scientist. Not literal explosions, of course; this is the real world.

            "Tenchi, do you know what this is?" Washu asked, holding up the calendar.

            "A calendar, right?" Ryoko asked. "So what?"

            "What's today's date?" Washu asked.

            "Fourteenth," Tenchi replied. "Why?"

            "Take a look." Washu tossed the calendar over, and Tenchi and the other two looked at it.

            "Two days later?" Ayeka asked. "How did that happen?"

            "There's only three possibilities I can think of that could have done this" Washu said. "The first is that we all slept for two solid days. The second is that someone or something pushed us forwards through time, and the third is that we've had our memories wiped of whatever happened during that time."

            "Why would someone wipe our memories?" Ryoko asked.

            "Maybe something happened that we agreed we should forget," Tenchi said.

            "Little Washu, could one of your machines have done this?" Ayeka asked.

            "Possibly. I don't know," Washu shrugged. "I can have a check if you want."

---------------

            Mihoshi was away at work. She came off duty in about half an hour, but Yukinojo wasn't letting her off early. For what if something happened then? She'd be held responsible.

            Mihoshi's response was that nothing ever happens around here. There's no harm, surely?

            Yukinojo was insistent. You can never tell what might happen in the future.

            Mihoshi had glanced at the scanners, and had the ship confirm it: there were no other space vehicles around within three hours' journey, even at maximum speed. What could possibly happen?

            And it was about now that Yukinojo threatened to restrain the detective if she didn't complete her shift to the full, as he couldn't lie if he was asked about the regularity of Mihoshi's shifts.

            Mihoshi then got up and told the computer that she was going to her room to watch 'Space Police Policemen', the hilarious antics of two police partners as they protected the galaxy from all manners of strange and improbable things, and every so often something feasible.

            Yukinojo said that she could watch it if she wanted, but only if she stopped the advertising.

            Mihoshi accepted.

            As Mihoshi sat down to watch her favourite space police show, her control cube became dislodged from its usual holding place and fell to the floor. It bounced and accidentally triggered a command. Mihoshi picked the cube back up and turned it back into the fluffy white ball and placed it back on her behind.

            The command shot through several layers of space, causing a few extra-dimensional beings to be shocked, and improbably knocking a piece of toast as it flew through the air, causing it to land butter-side up, and hit one of Washu's machines in her lab. The machine powered up, whirred and clicked, and just as soon shut down again, just before the scientist and her three "volunteers" entered the large laboratory. The volunteers were assigned places to check and machines to inspect, while Washu monitored them from her cushion.

            A few minutes later, Ryoko called. "This one's been on, Washu. What is it?"

            "There's a number on the side," Washu called back. "Read it, and I'll tell you."

            "Four seven two oh oh nine three five dash arr two dee two dash eff oh arr ess ee," Ryoko called back. Well, how would anyone else have pronounced it?

            Washu tapped the product code into her computer, and the result came back a mere thousandth of a second later. "That's it!" she called. "Everyone can come back now."

            And so they did, Tenchi trailing a snapped metal tentacle from his leg. No-one asked, and he wasn't about to explain.

            "Yes, the one you found was the Focal Undulating Chain Kaleidoscope," Washu informed. "It's a machine that alters the properties of stellar events, but the setting on it when I left was one that allowed it to warp the time field. That's our cause, everyone."

            "So that machine shifted us two days into the future?" Tenchi asked, finally managing to kick the tentacle off.

            "Not just us, but the whole universe," Washu replied. "Still, there's nothing we can do about it now. Just deal with it, I suppose."

---------------

            And that was the tale of how Mihoshi started and finished this story, with no-one any the wiser afterwards, least of all her.

            End.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


	5. End 2 : Feelings and Affections

Mind Swap, Chapter 4beta (The One with the Other End)

"Feelings and Affections"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

            And time split.

---------------

            Time, as a whole "it", is rather confusing. Why is it that nearly everyone remembers one side of the significant "present" and not the other? Why can they only travel into the unknown side? And why are people so obsessed with travelling through it, when they are doing so already?

            Washu, as a scientist, was also rather confusing. The oldest by far of the Masaki residents, and yet she has the youngest appearance. Her mind conceives inventions not dreamed of by anyone else, either because they are so unbelievable or so ridiculously stupid that no-one has bothered to think about it. Her latest invention, the Bi-dimensional Animificator, was one of debate, belonging as it could in either the former or latter category. Its purpose was something only she knew, but the others might soon find out for themselves.

---------------

            So, during the gap between the previous chapter and now, Ayeka had explained to Tenchi the "situation". It was supposed to be complicated, but it actually wasn't, really. Ryo-Ohki probably could have understood it.

            "So that's it?" Tenchi asked. "That's what Ryoko was going on about?

            Ayeka nodded. "Now do you see why we've been fighting? Ryoko wants me to hurry up, but I don't want to rush things. They should be perfect."

            "I just thought you didn't like each other," Tenchi replied. "Well, I know, you like each other now, and there's nothing wrong with that. And you both also like me, which is... fine, I guess."

            And Tenchi was also attracted to Mihoshi in a way, Sasami had a secret plan, and Washu did make it clear how she felt after Tenchi's cousin Taro had left. And that wasn't fine. Given the choice, Tenchi would have chosen two girls to choose from, instead of every female in the house, Ryo-Ohki excluded. But having said that, Ryo-Ohki was becoming friendlier recently...

            "Well, now that's all sorted, what'll we do now?" Ryoko asked. She drifted down from the ceiling and sat on the armrest next to Tenchi.

            "What do you mean?" Tenchi asked, slightly nervously. Ryoko surely wouldn't try anything with Ayeka there, would she? Really?

            "From the sound of it, Ayeka explained it all," Ryoko replied, draping an arm around Tenchi's neck and stroking his throat with one of her fingers. "So what's going to happen now?"

            "You can take your arm from around Tenchi's neck, for a start," Ayeka said, irritation in her voice.

            "It's not as though you're going first," Ryoko said, removing her arm all the same. "While you're waiting, why don't I go ahead? You can have him if I'm done."

            "I'm not an object," Tenchi mumbled, pressing himself further into the sofa.

            "Where I come from, Ryoko," Ayeka said, "people keep their promises. I expect to be allowed to go first."

            "I promised nothing," Ryoko said, reaching out and stroking Tenchi's arm with her fingers. "And have you thought that maybe Tenchi doesn't like the dominatrix princess style?"

            "If that's the case, he won't like the slovenly lazy style either. That's you, by the way."

            "Well, let's ask him," Ryoko said. "Tenchi, who do you prefer of us two?"

            Tenchi whimpered slightly and gulped. "I like you both equally," he said, his voice shaking.

            "Tenchi, that's not the truth and you know it," Ryoko said. "You like me better, don't you?"

            "Tenchi, surely you don't prefer her over me?" Ayeka asked.

            "I can't compare fairly," Tenchi said. "You're both different."

            "Well, which differences do you like?" Ryoko asked, leaning towards him. "Mine or hers?"

            "Both," Tenchi said. "And I need to move now."

            Tenchi got up and hurried upstairs. He entered his room, deciding to find out what was different. He knew something was, and he'd find it.

            "That probably means tidying up," he said to himself as he closed the door behind him. "There's not much, so it shouldn't take long."

            And he went to work, looking around every so often in case someone was watching. And he had soon tidied away the clutter on the floor to other handy locations, such as underneath the bed and in the closet. He straightened his duvet again and sat down on the bed, gazing around, hoping that the difference would jump out at him. His gaze trailed onto the desk.

            Now, Tenchi was very proud of that desk. Everything was in its place, and nothing was on it to clutter it up. He could tell if anything had been moved just by looking to see if anything wasn't perpendicular to the sides.

            Tenchi frowned and stood up, walking over to his desk. Now that he looked directly at it, he saw what was different. An envelope, carefully placed parallel to the front edge of the desk, rested on the surface. He probably didn't notice it before because it was neatly laid down. He picked it up.

            "Dearest Tenchi," he read. "This must be from either Ryoko or Ayeka." He frowned. "But it's Sasami's handwriting."

            He broke the heart sticker seal and unfolded the letter inside, reading it several times to make sure what he was reading was on the paper.

            "Oh boy..." Tenchi trailed off. It was Sasami who had written it. And what she had written was...

            There was a knock on his door, and Tenchi heard his name being called through it.

            "It's open, you know," Tenchi called, still staring at the letter.

            Behind him, the door slid open and Sasami stepped in.

            "I'm just collecting your dirty clothes for washing," she said, looking around. "Have you cleaned up?"

            "Sasami, you wrote this, didn't you?" Tenchi asked, holding the letter up.

            "Well, yes," Sasami replied bashfully.

            There was a pause.

            "I didn't know how to tell you," Sasami continued, "so I wrote that."

            "Sasami..."

            "You don't like it, do you?" the little princess asked. "You don't like me."

            "Of course I do," Tenchi insisted. "Of course I like you."

            "Then what about my letter?"

            "It's... unexpected," Tenchi said, glancing through it again. "I, I need time to think about this. Can you wait for an answer?"

            "I suppose," Sasami said.

            "It's just, I've got so much to think about at the moment," Tenchi said. "I can't really make any kind of decision right now. I just need to think it all through."

            "I don't want you to make a wrong choice," Sasami said. "I'll wait."

            "Thank you."

            And with that, Tenchi left Sasami and went downstairs, the letter in his pocket. And it looked as though Ayeka and Ryoko were waiting for him. Mihoshi was gone, presumably to relax somewhere else. Life as a Galaxy Police officer must be stressful, even in an apparently remote sector as here. Mihoshi must need all the relaxation she could get. Maybe.

            As Tenchi reached the bottom of the stairs, the two women stood up.

            "We've got something to ask you," Ayeka said.

            "And it's really important," Ryoko added.

            "Not again," Tenchi muttered, groaning inwards.

            "No, not again," Ryoko said, her amazing hearing catching Tenchi's words once more. "It's a different question."

            "What?"

            "Ryoko and I have talked things over," Ayeka said. "We have decided not to pursue our relationship with each other any more."

            "That's because we know you love us too," Ryoko interrupted.

            "I never said that!" Tenchi exclaimed.

            "Maybe, but now we know we've got a decent chance," Ryoko said.

            "Anyway," Ayeka resumed, "we have decided to co-operate for the time being, and help you decide who you love the most."

            "That's why we want to go out on dates," Ryoko finished.

            "Dates?" Tenchi repeated.

            Ayeka nodded. "We think that would be a good way to go," she said. "Then you can make a better decision."

            "What do you say?" Ryoko asked.

            "You want to go out on dates with me?" Tenchi asked.

            The two women nodded.

            "Well..." Tenchi trailed off. "I guess it couldn't hurt. Okay," he said reluctantly. "We can go out."

            Secretly, Tenchi wasn't reluctant at all. He was glad of this opportunity. To be closer to them, still without having to make a decision... That was great.

---------------

            It was, by now, late in the day. It was dinnertime. And once everyone had eaten, Tenchi met Ryoko and Ayeka outside, as they had planned earlier.

            "So, who am I going out with first?" Tenchi asked nervously.

            "Ayeka," Ryoko said. "I did say she could be first."

            Ayeka blushed. "I'll just go and get ready," she said, hurrying inside.

            Tenchi watched her go. "I guess I should too." He started to go back inside, but was stopped by Ryoko.

            "Have a nice time, Tenchi," she said, smiling.

            "Th, thanks, Ryoko," Tenchi said, before going inside to change.

---------------

            Seeing Ayeka after she had gotten ready wasn't something Tenchi would ever be ready for. He had changed into casual clothes, but it was Ayeka's appearance that stunned him.

            She looked so different it was hard to tell. She was wearing a small V-neck yellow-cream short-sleeve shirt that finished halfway down her body, revealing most of her abdomen. The ice-blue pants covered her legs tightly, leading down to the sandals she always wore, out of which poked bare toes. Her hair, which Tenchi had never seen unfastened before, was set loose down her back, waving around as she looked from one person to the other. Her head ornament, which Tenchi had been told was her Key for Ryu-Oh, was gone, revealing her entire forehead and the single round green gem embedded in it.

            "So," she asked, "what do you think?"

            Tenchi gaped, and managed to say, "aren't you going to be cold?"

            Ayeka shook her head. "It's a warm evening," she replied, blushing at Tenchi's continuing stare. "And besides, I know you'll keep me warm."

            Tenchi began to blush too. "So, where should we go?"

            "Into town, I guess," Ayeka replied.

            And so they managed to sneak out without anyone noticing, and started walking into town, talking between themselves about various things. Just small talk, really.

Once they reached the town, they looked around without any real idea of what to do. Across the street was a large building, with a sign outside reading: "Promotional Dance Tonight. Free Entry". It was just too obvious to not go in.

            "Hey, you're late," a man standing in the doorway said. "Should have got here an hour ago. It's nearly finished."

            "Nearly finished already?" Tenchi asked. "But it's still early."

            "What can I say?" the man replied. "It's a promo gig. They make the times, I guess."

            "It doesn't matter," Ayeka assured Tenchi. "Let's find something else to do instead."

            "No," Tenchi said. "We might still be able to get a few dances in. You do dance, don't you?"

            "Um, yes," Ayeka replied.

            "Great." Tenchi led Ayeka into the building.

            Inside was a large room, comfortably populated by people. Tenchi and Ayeka looked around.

            "We should have got a bus," Tenchi said. "We'd have made it on time then. It did take us over half an hour to get here."

            "No," Ayeka said, shaking her head, her loose hair swaying behind her. "I enjoyed the talking, so much. I don't care if we missed this. I'm just happy I'm with you."

            "Well..." Tenchi started, but was interrupted.

            "Last song, ladies and gentlemen," someone on the small stage said. Behind him the rest of the band was shuffling slightly. "Make it a good one."

            As the band began to play a slow song, Tenchi looked at Ayeka. "Care to dance? You'll have to help me, though; I'm not a very good dancer."

            "I'd love to," Ayeka smiled back. She took Tenchi's hand and was led onto the dance floor. They embraced each other slowly, as this was probably the first time they had voluntarily come that close to each other, and began to sway themselves around the floor.

            After a moment, Ayeka rested her head on Tenchi's shoulder, shifting her arms slightly to hold him closer. Tenchi held her closer too.

            "This is nice," Ayeka murmured, so Tenchi had to strain to hear her.

            "Yes," Tenchi replied. Because he was so relaxed, a million thoughts were racing through his mind, many of them concerning the girls. Tenchi closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, dispelling them all. He would just enjoy himself. He lowered his head onto Ayeka's and kept his eyes closed as they swayed with the music.

            All too soon the song ended. The two separated and applauded the band, as did everyone else there. They drifted their way over to the drinks and had one each, before gliding out with the crowd of people.

            A few couples hung around outside, talking. Tenchi and Ayeka walked away towards the park. They walked through the metal archway and down a path. They reached the fountain there and sat on a bench nearby, gazing at the water cascading down the stone.

            "It's not been much of a date," Tenchi said. "I'm sorry. Dates should last longer than a single dance."

            "Don't be," Ayeka replied. "We're still here, together, alone. And that's all I care about."

            "Do you want to do anything else?"

            "Not really," Ayeka said. "I just want to be with you."

            Ayeka shuffled over and rested her head on his shoulder. Tenchi placed her arm around her body, and they both just sat, watching the fountain.

            "Mmm," Ayeka said after a while. "It's so comfortable."

            "I know," Tenchi said.

            "I wore this tonight because I didn't want to be different," Ayeka said. "I just wanted to be like everyone else."

            "But you are different," Tenchi said. "You're special. No-one else might see it, but I do."

            Ayeka moved slightly and moaned softly. "This isn't real, is it?" she said.

            "What?"

            "It's just a dream, right? Nothing could be this nice."

            "It's real." And to prove this he gave Ayeka's arm a little squeeze. Ayeka shifted again and sat up, looking directly at Tenchi's face.

            Tenchi raised his eyebrows questioningly as he looked back at her. Ayeka moved her head to one side slightly, and then smiled.

            "This was perfect," she said.

            "But we hardly did anything," Tenchi said.

            "So? That isn't important."

            Ayeka leaned back against the bench and looked over at the fountain. Tenchi continued to watch her, seeing how her outline was shaded by a lamppost behind her. Ayeka was actually very attractive, and Tenchi began to feel something. Something other than respect or attraction.

            Ayeka turned to see Tenchi staring at her, and blushed. "Shall we go back now?"

            "Maybe," Tenchi said, looking at his watch. "Wow! It's nearly nine already. We must have been out here for at least an hour."

            "It doesn't feel like it," Ayeka replied. "I suppose time does pass more quickly when you're enjoying yourself."

            "It feels like it jumped instead of passed," Tenchi said. He stood up. "I suppose that's how good it was. Shall we?" he asked, offering her his hand.

            Ayeka took it, pulling herself up and not letting go as they proceeded home.

---------------

            _Fill my heart with song._

---------------

            The next night was Ryoko's date with Tenchi. Making their excuses, they slipped out and headed for town.

            Ryoko had gone to considerable lengths for this date. Her hair, which was normally spiky and allowed to roam free across her head, was now mostly tied back and smoothed down. She had changed, just as Ayeka had done, and was now wearing a light red pair of pants and a suggestively revealing light green shirt. She was also wearing lipstick.

            "So, what should we do?" Tenchi asked as they walked into town. "There was a dance on last night, but it probably won't be on again."

            Sure enough, it wasn't.

            "Why don't we just wander round, and if we see anything we like we can do it?" Ryoko said.

            "Okay."

            They walked round for a few minutes, not spotting anything of interest. They had already eaten, and so didn't want to go to a restaurant or anything. Tenchi bought drinks for them, and they sat on a bench at the edge of the park to drink them. The fountain was visible through the trees, and it looked as though someone had fixed the underwater lights to illuminate the water at night. It really did look amazing.

            "Well, we've got to do something," Ryoko said. "How about an arcade or something?"

            "I think most of them'll be closed already," Tenchi replied. "Still, we can go look if you want."

            "No, I'm okay," Ryoko said. "I don't really think playing games is a good way of spending our first date." She looked around at the buildings nearby. "What about karaoke?" she asked.

            One of the greatest Japanese inventions, was karaoke, along with Tokyo, eating raw fish and low-ish frame-rate cartoons with greatly disproportioned eyes.

            "Sure."

            They went to the karaoke place and paid for half an hour. They went to their room and Ryoko grabbed the microphone, while looking at the music machine, choosing her first song. She picked it and started to sing.

            As the time went on, both Tenchi and Ryoko sung some songs, both solo and together. They weren't exactly incredible singers, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. But finally, it had to be said.

            "Last song, Ryoko," Tenchi said. "We're nearly out of time."

            "Already?" Ryoko replied. "But we just got here. Well," she shrugged, "I guess I should make this count, then."

            "Is it a duet?" Tenchi asked, rising from his seat to join Ryoko at the mike.

            Ryoko shook her head. "You just listen."

            The music started, a slow rhythm for a slow and romantic song. Ryoko opened her mouth to sing.

            And it was amazing. Ryoko was singing incredibly well, and singing like she meant every single word. Tenchi found herself staring at her as she sung, her eyes closed, her face warm and smiling. And Tenchi knew she was singing for him, to him and about him.

            Ryoko finished, and Tenchi was so caught up in it he almost didn't notice. He jumped up and applauded as loud as he could. Ryoko smiled and bowed.

            They went outside, and Tenchi bought more drinks. They needed them after all the singing. They strolled into the park and sat down on the edge of the fountain to drink them.

            Ryoko soon finished hers, and idly waved her hand around in the water as Tenchi took the empty cans to a nearby bin. He came back to find Ryoko was lying on the edge, looking up at the stars, a hand still in the water. Tenchi looked up at what Ryoko was looking at, and was suddenly splashed with cold water.

            "Yaah!" Tenchi yelped, tripping backwards. Ryoko laughed as she watched him fall to the ground. Not a malicious laugh, but a laugh of enjoyment.

            "Tonight's been great, Tenchi," she said as Tenchi picked himself up. "I just wish it didn't have to end."

            "It doesn't, you know," Tenchi replied, sitting next to her. "They say that if you try hard enough, you can make time stop, just for a moment."

            "I don't care how fast time goes," Ryoko said. "Just that I'm with you is all that matters."

            She shuffled closer to Tenchi and lowered her head onto his shoulder. Tenchi didn't stop her, but put an arm around her instead. Feeling this, Ryoko pulled closer to Tenchi, resting a hand on his side. They stayed like that for however long they did; neither of them could tell. But Ryoko then pulled away and turned and looked at the fountain.

            Tenchi looked at her. He saw Ryoko's face, illuminated by a lamppost behind him, looking at the fountain, with some of the spray splashing out behind her, the reflected light from the fountain lights causing a myriad of colours to splatter around her. And for the second time in two days, Tenchi found himself feeling something different, something beyond what he usually felt about Ryoko.

            Ryoko looked at him and smiled, blushing slightly.

            "You're staring," she said.

            "Oh, sorry," Tenchi said, not breaking his gaze.

            "Don't be," Ryoko replied. "What time is it?"

            Tenchi looked at his watch. "Half past late," he said. "I mean, half past nine."

            "We've been here for over an hour," Ryoko said.

            "It doesn't feel like it," Tenchi replied. "Time must have jumped forwards or something."

            "Or time stopped just for us," Ryoko said, standing up. "Shall we go back now?"

            "If you want," Tenchi said, standing as well.

            They started home, and Ryoko took Tenchi's hand in her own, and didn't let go.

---------------

            _And let me sing forevermore._

---------------

            The next morning, Tenchi woke with his mind strangely cleared. He dressed and went downstairs, to find that it was still early. Only Sasami was awake as well, but she always got up early to prepare breakfast.

            "Good morning, Tenchi!" Sasami greeted as Tenchi entered the kitchen. She was sitting at the kitchen table, looking bored.

            "Morning, Sasami," Tenchi replied, sitting down at the table too.

            There was another of those awkward pauses.

            "What's for breakfast?" Tenchi asked.

            "The usual," Sasami replied. "Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes and fruit. I can make something else as well if you want."

            "No, that's fine," Tenchi said. He paused slightly, before asking: "Sasami, why do you cook?"

            "What?"

            "What I mean is, why do you always make every meal, when the rest of us could do it instead?"

            "I just like cooking," Sasami replied. "It's like an art or something. That's what mommy told me. She really likes to cook too. She likes to go down to the kitchens sometimes and make something. She's really very good at it."

            "And you want to be just like her?"

            Sasami shook her head. "No, I just like to cook. I don't fancy doing all that other work mommy has to do too."

            "What kind of work?"

            "Politics, mostly. Public relations, and making sure things work right."

            "Sounds like it's a tough job, being an Empress."

            "It's even harder being daddy," Sasami said. "He hardly ever gets free time, even less so than mommy and mom Funaho."

            "And Ayeka wants to have all this responsibility," Tenchi mused. "All that work, and she still wants to be Empress."

            "Sister has to," Sasami said. "She's been brought up knowing that she can't not be Empress, so she trains constantly to be able to cope. But now we're on Earth, I think she doesn't really want to go back. She likes it here."

            "I guess it's a nice planet," Tenchi said. "Although I have only seen the one."

            "Ayeka likes it here because she doesn't have to do any of her royal duties," Sasami said. "I think for the first time ever she's realised she can do what she wants."

            "And she wants to stay here," Tenchi said.

            "With you," Sasami added. "She talks about you a lot, especially when she thinks no-one's listening."

            "Yes," Tenchi trailed off, thinking about her.

            "Have you had time to think yet?" Sasami asked.

            "Wha, about what?"

            "You know," Sasami said. "What you said you were going to think about."

            "Oh, that." He had thought about it over the past few days, when he wasn't thinking about Ayeka or Ryoko. But his experiences had made up his mind. It was a big decision, but it was his to make.

            "Sasami..." he trailed off.

            Sasami just looked at him.

            He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said.

            "Oh." Sasami looked down at the table, her expression unchanged.

            "I'm sorry, Sasami, I really am. I don't want to pretend I know how much you care for me, because I know it won't be enough. And it's not because of your age or anything, either. I love you like a sister, and I think that's the best kind of love there is. I think our bond is so much deeper than any of the others, because you're more like my family than the others are."

            "But you love someone else," Sasami said.

            "There are many different kinds of love, I think," Tenchi said. "You can't compare them. But at the top of one of those is you."

            "Who's at the top of the other?"

            Tenchi stood up and walked around to the little princess and crouched down, so their heads were level.

            "Sasami," he said softly. Sasami looked up at him, and Tenchi leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek. "And that's the first kiss I ever gave anyone," he said, leaning back again.

            Sasami blushed deeply, completely unsure of what to do. "I, I need to check on breakfast," she said, standing up.

            "I'll help," Tenchi said, following her to the cooking food. "That's what family's for."

---------------

            _You are all I long for._

---------------

            Things were going to be all right between Sasami and Tenchi. She would soon get over her crush and realise that they were family. They would be as if they were close brother and sister, telling each other everything, even things they would never dare tell anyone else.

            And while Washu was busy showing off her latest invention in her lab, the Bi-Dimensional Animificator, which basically altered small areas of reality and reshaped them to form some kind of cartoon environment, Tenchi smiled inwardly. He had decided, finally. And he would tell them.

---------------

            _All I worship and adore._

---------------

            Tenchi had asked Ryoko and Ayeka for a walk, and they had accepted. Their path circled the water-filled crater known as the lake, winding between the trees, and they were currently on the opposite shore to the house. As Tenchi stood and looked back at his home, Ryoko and Ayeka exchanged puzzled glances and shrugs.

            "You might be glad to know," Tenchi said suddenly, "I've made a decision." He turned round and looked at the two women.

            "Finally?" Ryoko asked, smiling slightly.

            "Yes, finally," Tenchi replied. "But first, I want to make sure. Do you love me?"

            Now that was one of the stupidest questions the women could have heard. In their minds the question was just too idiotic to deserve a meaningful reply, with a "don't be stupid" answer more preferable.

            "Yes," they both replied.

            "Of course we love you," Ryoko said. "We're in love with you."

            And Ryoko said "we" instead of "I", which is significant in itself, because it means she's accepted the situation and the fact that she may not win, if winning is what you'd call it. But now back to the conversation.

            "That's good," Tenchi said, sighing in relief. "I wanted to be sure. I wouldn't like it if anyone got hurt. I don't like pain."

            There was a long pause.

---------------

            _In other words, please be true._

---------------

            "Tenchi?"

            "I know I've taken so long to say this," Tenchi continued, as if he hadn't heard the princess, "and I'm sorry. The thing is, I haven't had a strong female figure in my life since my mother died when I was very young. I guess that's why I'm kind of shy when it comes to women." He looked at the two in front of him. "But having you around this past half year has changed all that."

            Tenchi cleared his throat. "What I'm trying to say is that I haven't been open with anyone, especially women, for many years now. Like I said before, I don't like being hurt."

            Ryoko and Ayeka were watching him, still confused. But they wouldn't interrupt, not now.

            "The hedgehog's dilemma," Tenchi continued. "I heard that somewhere. The closer they get to one another, the more they hurt each other with their spines. I've just made do with not becoming close to anyone. But that's changed. How I feel has changed.

            "What I'm trying to say is," Tenchi said, "I really want to try becoming close to someone now. I'm attracted to you, both of you, so much. And I can't imagine my life without you now."

---------------

            _In other words, I love you._

----------------------------------------------------------------------


End file.
